


Shili Ke'leh

by ZanaZoola14



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Accidental Relationship, Breeding, F/M, Marriage, Mating, Mating Bond, Non-Human Humanoid Society, Post-Rako Hardeen Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), Rako Hardeen Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26531038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZanaZoola14/pseuds/ZanaZoola14
Summary: Just a routine trip to the planet of Shili, shame that it never seems to go that way. Especially with the 501st involved. And with Fett genes in the clones, there's going to be a surprise or few appearing along the way.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 23
Kudos: 103





	1. Du territory

Ahsoka could feel the force bubbling around her; something was going to happen. She wasn't sure it was going to be good, she could also guarantee it wasn't going to be good.

\-----

One could call getting ambushed by three Akul bad and then having to face three waves of clankers bad - Ahsoka could suppose, but that didn't seem to be what the force was talking to her about.

What she didn't realise was that this 'threat' would come from her people.

\-----

Rex could feel the stares on his back, the whole time that they fought there were multiple sets of eyes on him. The amount just seemed to multiply when he entered the village, but this time, he knew who was staring at him.

He had a trail behind him of what seemed like half the younger population of the village. They even seemed to start arguing between each other when he openly looked over at him. It was unnerving for definite.

He could not help the glances he kept sending to the Commander and General, hoping to see whether this was something that would typically happen. He approached the two commanding officers, removing his helmet just as he was about to reach their side.

"Ke'leh," one of the older of the trailing females whispered, startling him with how close they got.

Before he could even process what they had said as they reached to grab him, he saw the female get decked to the floor, the Commander hissing as she paced in front of him.

He knew he must look a state, eyes full in confusion, body startled in shock.

Ahsoka stared down the female, hissing and bearing her teeth at her. She kept hissing at the other females in the background. "Not sa, not tunga. Not sa ke'leh, not du ke'leh. But du territory, du tribe."

The rest of the 501st were opening staring with their mouths hanging open at the display happening in front of them. They could see that Rex seemed to be the one that this was all rotating around, but they could not understand why.

"Rex get back to the ship," Anakin ordered, his face pale.

Just as Rex went to move, Ahsoka turned back towards them, snapping quickly, "do not move and do not turn your back on them. Otherwise, you'll trigger the next stage of the mating ritual."

That was when Rex's jaw dropped; he'd triggered a mating ritual?

"You've already shown yourself to be a warrior, then, when the boys listened to you, they singled you out for your power," Ahsoka explained, "they then told you they wanted to mate. If you walk towards them, then they have power over you, if you walk away, they'll give chase."

"Is there any way to say no?" Rex asked the situation sounds like there was no way for him to back out.

"Nothing you can do on your end, you've left it too long, and you don't know the words either," Ahsoka sighed before hissing and striking out as some females came forwards again.

"So there's nothing that can be done," Rex asked almost miserably.

The 501st was sickly white as they took in the situation now the Commander had translated what has happened. They were at risk of losing their Captain.

"There is one thing that can be done, now worst has come to worst, only another of age female togruta can fight for 'mateship' of the chosen male," Ahsoka sighed, "by killing Akul on my own to wear this headband, I am of age, which is why they acted before you reached me. I'm a threat, and I'll have to prove to them that I should be the one to be with you. Otherwise, you will not be able to leave this planet, ever."

Rex went stiff the moment the words hit his ears; his commanding officer was currently fighting to make sure that he doesn't get mated and bound to this planet, hence fighting her right to mate with him.

This was not in his training.

He's going to make a mental note to make sure he warns others of what could happen on this planet.

He was broke out of his musing when an all-out brawl opened in front of him as all the females decided to attack each other and the Commander.

Suddenly, the fighting ended as the village elder walked towards the group, trilling at them.

Ahsoka couldn't help snort back her laughter as she heard what the elder suggested. It wasn't often that this would be recommended, but it meant that the chosen mate had caught a lot of well-meant attention - including the eyes of elders. This would be taken as a high honour to the chosen mate typically.

"I dread to think what that reaction was for," Anakin mumbled.

"The elder suggested that seems as the chosen mate is a warrior, can protect and 'control' a group, then he is capable of taking multiple mates," Ahsoka stated, almost giggling in amusement.

Rex started shaking his head like he was going to explode, saying no is as many languages he could think off while the clones behind him burst into laughter.

As the group started trilling again together, Ahsoka gave a rough translation. "They'll go to try and impress you, keeping in mind that they might get you to choose more than one mate."

"Dare I say it, how are they going to try and impress me, sir?" Rex asked with a gulp.

"You'll need to stay stationary as they circle you, none will touch you as you have not permitted them, but they will try a range of different motions to show themselves off," Ahsoka stated, remembering from when a Master had previously told her, "if any do touch you, you will have the permission to attack them back - to draw blood, so they learn their lesson. You will have to choose _one_ or _more_ of them. Otherwise, they will try again, but might try a little more _forceful_ towards you."

"What has my life got to," Rex sighed.

"You're allowed to place back on your mask; they will take it as a sign of you being a warrior, not scared or running," Ahsoka reassured Rex.

Rex didn't waste a second in placing his helmet on, finding relief in the familiarity the screens provided.

Slowly the females started to approach and circle him one by one. A small message popped up on his screen from the Commander; _'you'll have to choose one, even if you don't want one.'_

Then another message popped up on his screen, making his cheeks flush slightly, the text was from the General this time; _'your best bet would be to choose the Commander, Rex. Otherwise, you'll be stuck here.'_

Yet again, having your Jedi commanding officer tell you to choose the other commanding officer - a padawan at that - as your mate was not part of his training.

The circling continued until one of the younger ones reached out to touch his arm. Before their fingers had touched him, Rex flung out his legs, taking out the legs of the female as he used his hand to push the female to the floor.

Ahsoka felt her mouth drop open along with the rest of their group as a loud grumble like growl emitted from Rex as he held the female to the floor until she diverted her eyes. It's not every day that a different species can get them to submit without a single word.

Rex glared down at the female before releasing his hold on her and backing away, allowing her to get up and scramble away. He watched as the rest started their circles again, they seemed cautious about his previous outburst, yet more intrigued.

Rex focused on his surroundings as the next one started to circle him. In the topmost screen, it showed that this female was also testing her luck by reaching for him back - a place that would typically be out of view of him.

The female had no warning as she felt her legs be taken out from underneath her, forcefully knocking her to her back. She felt pressure on her legs as she saw the chosen male kneel slightly on her, and a weight across her neck and chest by the arm pinning her in place. The chosen mate was almost snarling down at her, his mask giving no information towards his feelings.

Now Anakin was sure that everyone would have to dig their jaws out of the floor before they leave. Rex was behaving like a completely different person.

Rex stared down at the female he'd pinned; he was fuming that the female had tried to touch him without permission in an area that he would not have been able to see them reach him. He could barely process his reactions as all he focused on was making sure this female knew what she did was wrong, and what her place was.

There was a tense silence as the clone and female togruta stared at each other. The only sound the broke the silence was the rumbling coming from the Clone Captain's chest.

The female stared up at the chosen male, confused as to why he wasn't finding interest in her rank in the village. She was the heir of the chief, and her mate would be next to control the town, and it was shown by the jewellery she wore.

Rex felt his lips twitch slightly as the female saged beneath his grip, her eyes diverting off to the side. He released his grip on her as Rex stood up again back to where he previously was. He kept a careful eye on all the others as they began to approach him again.

Taking the fact that they seemed wary of him when he did that same rumble, each time they got too close, he slowly did it, showing them his displeasure of the lack of distance.

The 501st watched their Captain be circled slowly by the females, still trying to process the fact that he growled and rumbled at them. They could not explain why Rex had acted like that, and the way that the Commander had reacted showed it wasn't something that she had informed him to do.

Finally, the group had made their circles around him; it was Ahsoka's turn to circle Rex. In the background, the females had formed themselves into different groups. Thrown to the ground, growled at and no reaction.

The air was tense as the Commander slowly made her circles around the Captain. Logically, they knew the Captain was going to choose the Commander, but a small part of their brains whispered lies to them that the Captain could refuse and select some other female, even multiple females.

Rex spent the time that Ahsoka circled him to work out how he was meant to agree. Disagreeing was as simple as growling at them, maybe throwing them to the ground if they didn't listen, he understood that now. But to agree, how was he meant to do that?

Anakin shuffled slightly on his feet, unsure as to how to take the situation. Everything within his body was screaming that Ahsoka was too young, that Rex was too young, that the pair were being forced into this. And how the kriff does he explain this to Obi-Wan?

Before Rex could think a final solution to agreeing, it seems the females took things into their own hands. First, it was subtle looks that then ended with trills and calls that left the Commander looking as close to angry and hurt as she got.

He might not have known the words that they were saying, but he could understand the gist of it.

Ahsoka felt each word like a knife through her heart.

_"Who'd want her?"_

_"She wouldn't be able to look after children."_

_"She has no firs, no rank for the village."_

_"Without her freaky powers she would not have come of age, probably would have died."_

The females felt all their words die as the chosen mate swept the outsider behind him, his other hand resting on his weapon. His growls were loud and clear. Do not go after her. Do not go after his mate.

Rex continued to growl as all words stopped from the females and the surroundings grew quiet. He knew his actions made it clear who he'd 'chosen' as his mate.

The village was at a standoff until the two that Rex had previously thrown to the ground lowered their heads, keeping their vision tightly to the floor. Soon the rest of the females followed the village's heirs lead and diverted their eyes to the floor.

That did the trick as Rex's body relaxed, his hand losing its grip over the pistol but not moving away from the weapon. The growling lowered until it faded completely.

"Well, the rest of the villages will know of our supposed mating by nightfall," Ahsoka sighed as she watched the village start to rise back to life.

"Are we able to go now?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, it's over. The village knows they lost," Ahsoka nodded, "Rex at the moment will have slight control over the village as the second female that he threw to the floor was the heir. Also, I'll have to continue to stand near Rex now thanks to our new 'status'."

"How the kriff am I meant to explain this to Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked.

"Don't ask me; I'm only a padawan," Ahsoka stated.

When Anakin turned to face him, Rex stated, "I'm only a clone. Not even a field commander."

"Tup, you laughed the least, send me the recording of all this, so I have proof that I am not lying," Anakin sighed as he faced the battalion.

"Sir, yes, sir!"

\-----

 _"I hope you have proof of the supposed mating ritual between half the village females, your padawan and your Captain,"_ Obi-Wan stated, distance figures in the background showed he was standing in the Jedi Council room, not a briefing room.

"I got Tup to send me his helmet recording; it should clear up what I missed," Anakin nodded, "I'm sending it over now."

Anakin stood in silence as he waited for Obi-Wan and the rest of their audience to finish watching the video, resisting the urge to tap foot impatiently. In the background, he could hear laughter - why a Jedi Council member was laughing was beyond him. It was followed by a shushing noise and yet more laughter.

Finally, Obi-Wan appeared again, his face cracked in a smile that Anakin hadn't seen since Qui-Gon was last alive. It made his master seem younger, almost worry-free. _"Thank you for bringing this up, a note has been made and a message sent to the clone factories to see as to why Captain Rex had such a reaction. That will be all."_

Before the holocall had faded entirely, Anakin watched as his master burst out into laugher and in the last second, the rest of the Jedi's joining him.

\-----

Ahsoka was just walking in the 501st barrack when her comm buzzed to life, Obi-Wan appearing almost instantly. All attention of the room was on the Jedi Master and Padawan.

 _"I trust the mission was a success?"_ Obi-Wan asked. Something seemed off with the Jedi Master; it was like he was trying to hold back a smirk.

"The mission went smoothly beyond the normal hiccups expected on a mission," Ahsoka nodded.

 _"Very good, the Jedi Council are waiting on your report,"_ Obi-Wan seemed to pause for a moment before his face got covered in a grin that could only be explained as the cat that got the canary, _"I hope you at least told Rex I said hello,"_ before the holocall faded.

Ahsoka couldn't tell who's laughter was louder, the clones or the Jedi on the end of the fading holocall. Her striped blushed a bright blue as her mouth dropped open to stare at her now bare arm.

It was at that moment that Rex chose to check on his men.

Turning around to look at Rex, Ahsoka blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Obi-Wan said hello." She could not help her blush as it grew brighter from the laughter of the clones behind him.

"I take it he did his, 'I hope you at least told such and such I said hello', speech?" Rex asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, thankful that his helmet was still on his head.

"How'd you know what he said?" Ahsoka asked as all the clones listened in for the reasons.

"He did the same to General Skywalker," Rex stated, feeling his lips twitch as he turned and swept back out the room again.


	2. Chapter 2

It was tight; Echo was sitting on Fives, Hardcase had Jessie who had Tup sitting on him. But it was the only place that the commanding officers would not look for them.

"Who's been growled at by Rex?" Jesse asked.

" _I think we all have been_ ," Tup whispered.

"Ok, name what you were doing," Echo stated, "I was standing too close to him."

"Drank caffeine," Hardcase stated, he got glared at as everyone tried to back away from him.

"Ice-water wake-up," Fives stated, "I found myself pinned with his growling and sneering in my face."

"I used the wrong colour of paint on my armour; the blue wasn't blue enough," Jessie stated.

"I walked through a door," Tup stated, before holding up two fingers, "got to the food quicker than him," held up a third finger, "standing too close to the Commander."

"How close was too close?" Fives asked.

"The length of two gunships."

"Please can the long-necks find what caused this!" Echo begged, "if it could happen to him, it could happen to us! And he has more self-restraint."

"I dare not think what could happen if any of us start doing that," Jessie

"Shall we agree that if it happens to any of us, we're being locked in a cupboard unless we are needed directly for a mission?" Echo asked.

"Agreed."

\-----

"Anakin," Obi-Wan started, "I think we know why your Captain has such behaviour."

"Why?"

"The Kaminoans have a final test of sorts before they pass to make clones," Obi-Wan explained. "The student is given control over the coding of one clone and are asked to make a change to them. If they live and make it through training, then the student passes, if they don't, then they fail."

"So Rex was someone's exam?"

"Yes, Commander Wolfie was one as well," Obi-Wan explained, "he was crossed with DNA from an Alpha Wolf. This was to see whether he would be more attuned with his surroundings and to see whether it could bring him a rank of power easier within the group."

"What did Rex have?" Anakin sighed.

"Rex had a list full of changes done to him, the student was trying to show off and get a higher position," Obi-Wan sighed, "first, he fiddled with pigmentation, giving the Captain his hair colour, next, a shriek-hawk for better eyesight - affecting the colour as well."

"Why do I feel that you're holding something back?" Anakin asked, his face blanking at what it could be.

"Rex was also crossed with another species to make him more prone to 'hunt' his 'prey', to be quick and efficient at the hunt in taking down larger 'prey'," Obi-Wan explained.

"Cut to the chase, Obi-Wan," Anakin growled on edge with the way his Master was acting.

"Your Captain has Togruta DNA," Obi-Wan stated bluntly.

"What?!"

"I am right next to you, Anakin, no need to shout," Obi-Wan stated, trying to move away from the shout slightly.

"If everything ok, sirs?" A clone asked, popping his head through the door.

"Everythings fine here," Obi-Wan nodded as he watched the clone disappear again.

"Does," Anakin started, his face going sickly pale, "does that mean. On the planet. Ritual?"

Obi-Wan nodded, finding sense in the jumble that spilt from Anakin's mouth, "that 'fake' mating ritual performed so you can keep your Captain was real and currently means your Padawan and Captain are mated together."

" _We'll have to tell the council._ " Anakin whispered, " _all the boys will need this explaining to them._ "

\-----

"Captain Rex and Commander Tano do not know of this yet, so do not talk about it openly," Anakin warned as he stared down all of the 501st and a good chunk of the 212th.

"Sir, have you got any answers from the long-necks?" Fives asked.

"That's what we are gathered to talk about," Anakin nodded, "I'm sure you've all noticed the change in your commanding officers since... _That_ mission?"

There was a range of nods and agreements that went around everyone in the room.

"The most straightforward way would be for me to explain the history of the clone making teachings in Kaminoan culture," Anakin started, "to pass the course, the student must make a positive change to a clone. This clone has to make it through training and pass into a battalion for the Kaminoan to pass."

"Like the Captain's blond hair?"

"That's one of them," Anakin sighed.

" _One_ of them?!"

"Normally, there is only one. For instance, Commander Wolfie has the DNA of an Alpha Wolf to make him more of a leader and aware of his surroundings," Anakin explained, "Captain Rex's changes are more extensive than that."

"How extensive?"

"There's a list that I don't even know the full extent of, apparently the student was trying to show off," Anakin stated.

A chuckle went around the hanger.

"We'll start with the hair, that was just some tweaks to existing DNA. Now, we all know he has slightly different eyes, well, turns out the Kaminoan added shriek-hawk DNA to give him better eyesight," Anakin was then cut off.

All the clones were almost buzzing with all the whispers to the Mandalorian animal.

"Right, carrying on," Anakin stated with a cough when the room when quiet. "The Captain also had another species added to make him more attuned to 'hunt' and to take down larger 'prey' with more efficiency."

The room was impatient, buzzing, as they waited for the information to be spilt.

"The Captain has Togruta DNA, the same species my Padawan and your Commander Tano are," Anakin finally said.

The uproar was huge by the fact there wasn't one. The room was silent, not a muscle moved. Anakin even wondered whether the clones forgot to breathe, and their hearts forgot to beat.

"Right," Anakin coughed, feeling unnerved by the silence, "so, to fill in the 212th. On the mission to Shili, Captain Rex managed to grab the attention of nearly every mateable female Togruta in the village we were staying at."

"Sir, by grabbed the attention, you mean?" Cody asked.

"They all decided that they wanted him to be his mate," Anakin smirked, "apparently they liked seeing that he's a warrior that can 'control' others."

A range of sniggers went around the room.

"So, that triggered the start of a mating ritual," Anakin sighed, "so, one walked up to him and declared she wanted to mate with him. The only reason he wasn't publicly claimed right there was that Snips jumped on the female before trying to tell them that Rex was not going to mate with any of them - hence, trapping him to the planet."

"Rex triggered a kriffing mating ritual?!" Cody spluttered.

"Hmm, yes, it caused lots of fights, and enough attention was brought forwards both by the ones wanting to mate with him and the village elders that they suggested that he could take multiple mates, much to the Captain's horror," Anakin sniggered, "eventually, it got to where the females circle the male without touching him."

"Which some seemed to forget," some of the clones laughed.

"Yes, one of the younger females reached out to touch him, and this is where his new behaviour started," Anakin nodded, "he flattened the female to the floor and growled at her until she diverted her eyes."

Jaws were wide open.

"He also decked another female to the floor," Anakin stated.

"Who, sir?"

"The heir to the village, she tried to touch the Captain on the back," Anakin stated.

Half the room flinched, Rex had always been sensitive about people touching his back.

"He pinned her to the floor by an arm and a leg. He snarled at her until she eventually sagged and diverted her eyes. Giving Rex now slight power over that village," Anakin stated, "I'll skip a lot here, but the females started saying what must have been offensive and rude towards the Commander when she was circling him. It kind of got to a point where Rex pushed Snips behind him and almost drew one of his blasters."

"He threatened both the heir of the village and most of the females?!"

"Yes," Anakin said, "eventually, all the females diverted their gaze."

"All of them?!"

"Someone leading the kill of three Akul and three waves of clankers is someone that none want to mess with," Anakin smirked, "an Akul is a large quadrupedal, carnivorous predator that Togruta fear because they can demolish settlements."

"And you took down three?"

"They surprised attacked us," Anakin nodded, "so now the whole of Shili know about this 'mating' between the Captain and the Commander. But the thing is that this DNA mixing has caused it to be real."

"Is that why he is behaving as he is?"

"Yes, the ritual unlocked hidden instincts meaning that he has become quite territorial, possessive, defensive and solidified his role of leader," Anakin stated, "which means he will growl maybe even get aggressive in different situations."

"Does that mean we're stuck with the Captain acting like this, sir?"

"Effectively, yes," Anakin nodded to the horror of all the clones, "but he will eventually calm down. It's new so needs that time to settle and having them split apart - especially for sleeping - is meaning that the 'mating' won't settle."

"So the longer they are apart, the more cranky the Captain gets?" A clone asked, igniting a few giggles and laughs.

Anakin's lips twitched into a smile, "effectively, yes."

"So, there is a way to 'fix' it," Fives sighed.

"I can finally walk into a room without being growled at?" Tup asked.

"Yes, if we can get them to agree to something," Anakin nodded.

"Why don't I feel like getting them to agree will be simple, sir?" Cody asked.

"Because it involves them," Anakin started, scratting the back of his head nervously, "sleeping in the same quarters. Not the same bed, but just the same room."

"Sir, good luck with telling them that," Fives stated.

"Tell who what?" Ahsoka asked as the hanger door opened to allow her to see everyone.

Anakin sighed before pressing his comm unit, "Rex, come down to the main hanger."

_"Sir, yes, sir."_

The wait for Rex to come down was an awkward silence filled tension that built until it was almost boiling around them.

"You wanted me down here, sir?" Rex asked as he walked into the hanger through the same doors as Ahsoka.

"I have informed the 501st and some of the 212th already, it's just you and Snips left to know," Anakin stated, signalling to the fidgeting clones behind him.

"Why don't I like the fact that all the clones seemed to be fidgeting?" Ahsoka asked.

"Because," Anakin started, "because we just got some information back from the Kaminoans."

"That doesn't seem so bad," Ahsoka stated.

"Well, Rex was a student's exam work," Anakin sighed, "a student is charged with making a positive change to a clone. If the clone makes it through training, then they passed, if they didn't, then they failed."

"So what positive change was made, sir?" Rex asked.

"I'll tell you the three that I know of," Anakin started, "first, colour change for Rex's hair. Next, shriek-hawk DNA for his eyes - also changing their colour slightly."

Ahsoka and Rex glanced at each other when suddenly the room went icy quiet.

"Skyguy, you said three," Ahsoka pointed out, "so unless you can't count, there is another one."

"Rex has Togruta DNA to make him a better hunter," Anakin blurted out.

It took a moment for it to settle into their brains, both what Anakin said and what he meant, but the two quickly scooted away from each other.

"Ok, that 'fake' mating ritual triggered hidden instincts that came along with that DNA," Anakin explained, "it also means that, as these instincts came through during the mating, you two are mated together accidentally."

Rex felt himself blush under his helmet as Ahsoka's stripes darkened to a deep blue.

"This means there have been some unforeseen consequences," Anakin continued, "for instance, as some clones worded it, Rex you have been 'cranky'. Like growling at _everyone_ near you at points, poor Tup seems to have had it the worst."

"Half the time I can not walk into a room without you growling at me, Captain," Tup pointed out.

"Ok, you are stating this like there is a way to stop it, sir," Rex pointed out.

"No, not stop. But more control it. The instincts are new so just need time to settle," Anakin pointed out, "but with your status together, then it will either calm quickly or slowly."

"Ok, how slow is slowly?" Ahsoka asked.

"Forever?" Anakin offered.

"So how do we prevent that?" Ahsoka asked.

"Ok, don't slice or shoot me on the spot," Anakin begged before stating, "you'll have to sleep in the same room, not necessarily the same bed - although it will help with calming the instincts better - just as long as you are in the same room."

" _What about the order?_ " Ahsoka whispered.

"They are willing to allow the mating as it was not meant to be a real mating," Anakin reassured, "and Rex has been taken off clone laws thanks to the fact he's not a clone."

"Will it?" Rex started before his voice died off again.

Luckily, Anakin seemed to know what Rex meant as he answered, "no, it will not affect anything. You will both keep your ranks and your places."

"I guess, if Rex is ok with it," Ahsoka stated, "I know how that action will calm the instincts."

"If it means I stop feeling like I want to rip someone's throat off all the time," Rex stated, causing most people to flinch and try to protect their throats, "yeah?"

\-----

Rex and Ahsoka walked into what was meant to be their shared room; they proceeded to walk straight back out.

Rex pointed to the vent above them a few doors down from theirs.

Ahsoka nodded as she used the force to silently remove the vent and jumped up before sticking her hand down.

Rex unclipped one of his blasters, setting it on stun, passed it up to her.

Ahsoka slowly crawled up to where Hardcase and Fives were hiding and trying not to giggle like little children. She smirked to herself as she fired two quick stunners, hitting both of the clones before resting the blaster back on her belt. She dragged the two back by their feet and dropped them down the vent.

Rex grabbed his blaster back as Ahsoka handed it back to him. Together, the two dragged the clones back to the barracks.

The clones within the barracks scrambled to their feet as they saw their Captain and Commander enter, their heads tipped in confusion as they saw what the pair was dragging across the floor. They relaxed when Rex signalled for them to stand at ease as the two dropped Fives and Hardcase onto the floor.

The clones felt their jaws drop when the Captain undid the secret latch on Fives bed and pull out everything until he got to the mixing pallet at the back. He also pulled out the range of different restraints that Fives would use to tie up his prank victims.

"What colour paints do you have stashed?" Rex growled to Tup.

"Wh-what?" Tup gulped, "what paints?"

"If you're going to lie to me, don't," Rex growled again, "so what paints do you have?"

"We have just about every colour including neon colours," Echo said, stepping in.

"Pass me the neon pink then," Rex grunted as he finished tying the two clones together back to back with their hands in front of the other.

Echo passed it over and watched as the Captain poured it over the mixing pallet.

"Where is your glow in the dark mixture?" Rex asked. "And don't try to lie, I know at least three of these bunk posts have it over them."

Tup sighed and pulled out what looked like a spare shampoo out from underneath his bed.

Rex continued to pour this onto the mixing pallet. "Where are your powdered plastoid and powdered droid parts?"

Jessie moved forwards and gave it over this time.

They all watched with morbid curiosity as Rex slowly mixed them all, forming an invisible mixture.

Rex smirked behind his helmet as he slowly started to paint it onto the clones' armour. He dotted it slowly down the glass of the mask, watching as all the clones froze. "Don't worry; it will come off the helmet without any harm if rubbed with weak alcohol."

"We don't have any alcohol," Tup stated.

Rex sighed before kicking out into the wall, causing the door of the secret compartment to open, revealing the alcohol behind. "You need to stop forgetting that I was a cadet at one point," Rex smirked.

"Where are Fives' and Hardcase's spare gloves kept?" Ahsoka asked from the other side of the barracks away from the door - reminding everyone that she was present.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Unless you want me to pour 501st blue water activating paint powder down all the 212th and 104th gloves, I recommend telling me where they are," Ahsoka stated, "and don't tell them about any of this, just that we tied them up and left."

Echos sighed before grabbing the gloves and passing them over to Ahsoka, watching as she carefully poured some powder into each of the gloves before handing them back.

"What, you forget that I was a youngling at one point?" Ahsoka asked at all their looks before leaving the room.

Rex, after packing everything away and closing the compartments turned and left the room as well, but not before stating to them all, "those two and any others I find were responsible for what happened will be on sanitary duty until they are thirty - and not clone thirty," before closing the door and leaving.

"How long they got sanitary for?" Ahsoka asked when they walked down the hallway.

"Twenty-one years for Fives, twenty-two years for Hardcase," Rex smirked, "sanitary until their thirty - I warned them if they pulled anything against me after a year ago they would be sentenced to that."

"What did they do a year ago?" Ahsoka asked.

"Took every bit of armour and clothing from the refresher and the rooms attached right before an important meeting," Rex stated, "luckily I always keep my comms near me, so I was able to call Cody to come and give me some armour and clothing to wear."

"So what do we do about all this stuff?" Ahsoka asked, point to everything in their room when they entered.

Rex removed his mask, placing it on the side. "I guess Fives and Hardcase accidentally shipped it to this room instead of General Skywalkers," Rex shrugged with a smirk.

"Let's correct that for them," Ahsoka smirked back before laughing.

Soon a droid was sent under strict orders from 'Fives' and 'Hardcase' to set up everything in Anakin's room.

\-----

Anakin felt his face go red as he caught sight of everything in his room. Looking in the corner, it seemed like whoever did this made a mess up as the droid they asked to do this had left a note.

_'From Fives and Hardcase.'_

"Fives, Hardcase!" Anakin roared, before storming off towards the barracks.

\-----

Any rant that Anakin was about to shout died on his tongue. Instead, he stared at the wiggling clones.

Fives and Hardcase were tied together as the rest of the clones laughed at them.

"Who else did you play a prank on?" Anakin finally asked.

"What do you mean who else, we didn't play a prank on you, sir?" Fives grunted as he tried to free himself from the restraints.

"Ok, who did this to you?" Anakin sighed, figuring that the two wasn't going to emit to him that they did it while they were so tied up.

"The others say that it was the Captain and the Commander that did this when we woke from being stunned," Hardcase stated.

"Mainly, it was the Captain that did the tying up," Echo added.

"So you're saying that your strict Captain was the one that tied you together?" Anakin checked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," both of them sighed, "could we have help now?"

"While as tempting as that is, I might just watch you struggle," Anakin grinned, sitting down next to Tup. "Oh, and you're on sanitary for a year."

"Really! Sanitary until we're thirty-one!" Hardcase whined.

"He added that many years?" Anakin whistled.

"He did warn us," Fives sighed before almost begging Anakin, "please can you help with these ropes, sir, I haven't even got my fingers free!"

"Your fingers?" Anakin asked as he crouched in front of Hardcase and stared at the knots. "The only way you can get out of this would be if Rex untied you, or if I use the lightsaber to cut you out," Anakin offered, flicking the blade on.

Both Fives and Hardcase froze when they heard the blade buzz.

"Hold still, I don't want to chop off anything important," Anakin warned.

Both Fives and Hardcase where a whimpering mess by the time that Anakin was done. When the buzz of the lightsaber stopped, they scrambled off the bed and landed in a tangled mess underneath another bunk.

Anakin noted the slight glow to their uniform, "Tup, turn off the lights."

"Sir, yes, sir," Tup stated as he moved to turn off the lights.

When all the lights turned off, they realised one thing, where Fives and Hardcase had rolled under, there was a neon pink glow.

"Fives, Hardcase, get out from under the bunk," Anakin ordered.

Just at the moment that the two was on their feet, the door opened to reveal the Captain and Commander.

"They're out of the restraints," Ahsoka noted.

"Disappointing, I thought it would have held them longer, at least until they realised how to undo it," Rex sighed.

"I would not be too sure, looks like they were cut free by a lightsaber," Ahsoka stated, "and Skyguy's here."

"They are certainly shaking enough," Rex nodded, happy his helmet was hiding his smirk.

Anakin felt his mouth drop open, eyes as wide as engines. "They weren't lying when they said you did this to them?" He gasped.

"Well, if you mean by me stunning them within the vents, both us dragging them here, and Rex tying them up?" Ahsoka offered, before nodding, "then yes, that was us."

"Then what about the glowing pink over them?" Anakin asked.

"Guess that will serve them right for using banned contraband?" Rex offered.

"I was always told that using weak alcohol could get that stuff off," Ahsoka offered.

"We don't have any alcohol," Fives stated.

"General, kick that wall about two steps from the bunk," Rex stated.

Anakin did as Rex said, confused as to what Rex meant until a hidden compartment opened. Anakin felt his jaw drop yet again as there was a stockpile of alcohol stored in there along with a note. He reached forward and read it out loud, "everyone, one year of sanitary duty for stockpiling contraband, making that until Fives and Hardcase are thirty-two standard years old."

Everyone's mouth dropped open, piecing together that everything that just happened was very purposeful. And it was all set up by the Padawan Commander and Clone Captain.

"Fives, while you're at it, clean your helmet, you'd think for an ARC trooper you'd keep better care of it," Rex stated before turning and leaving before any reply could be made.

"I'm going to go now," Ahsoka stated, looking very much like she was about to burst into laughter. By the time she got back to the room, Rex was already there. As the door opened, she could hear his laughs echoing around the room.

Rex was sitting on the bed in almost tears, his helmet of to his side. He could not remember laughing this hard since his time as a cadet.

The door had barely shut when Ahsoka burst into laughter, stumbling towards the bed and collapsing against Rex.

The two continued to laugh until they calmed down, taking a moment to breathe before realising just how they were sitting, or more importantly, holding onto each other.

Ahsoka had managed to bury her head into Rex's neck, and Rex had his arms around her, pulling her close to him as he rested his cheek on her forehead. Two started to hear a second noise, one different from the dying laughter. Loud purrs echoed through their room.

The two blushed as they scrambled away from each other, Rex ending up on the floor as Ahsoka managed to press her back almost into the wall.

"I. Er," Ahsoka stammered. Her chest was heaving, each heartbeat ringing in her ear.

Rex wasn't faring much better, almost fairing worse; he was also sporting a bruise across the back of his head from smacking his head against the table.

The room was eerily quiet and still except for the heaving of the two's chests. Their eyes were diverted away from each other.

"It was nice," Ahsoka started, coughing slightly before continuing, "to laugh that hard - you know - during what this time is."

" _Not had that since I was a cadet,_ " Rex whispered, almost afraid to emit it, scratching the back of his head.

"You said over twenty years for the two, so that they would be standard thirty years old," Ahsoka remembered, "are they eight and nine?"

"Yes, they are young, forced to proliferate in physical age like the rest of us," Rex shrugged, pulling his legs up to his chest.

"Rex, how old are you?" Ahsoka asked, moving off the bed to crouch next to him.

"Twenty-two?" He tried to offer with a laugh, before tucking his head between his knees as he hugged himself close. He'd not had the time for it to sink in that they were sending _ad_ into a war - even if that was what they were made for. "I'll be twelve in one standard month," he muttered, closing his eyes.

"How old are your brothers before they are sent to war?" Ahsoka asked, not wanting to upset him anymore, but needed to know the answer.

"I was soon to turn ten when I was sent out to war," Rex muttered before lifting his head to stare at Ahsoka, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, "my vode are being sent out at the ages of six and younger - not even fully trained."

Ahsoka could not help the gasp that escaped her lips as she pulled Rex into her side.

Rex stiffened, freezing as her arms pulled him into her side. But slowly his walls started tumbling down, more and more tears breaking through. Soon, he could not stifle his sobs as he buried his head into Ahsoka's side.

"You haven't been able to let this out yet," Ahsoka realised, "you don't have to keep up the wall here, you don't have to be the stong Captain within these walls," she whispered, her chest rumbling with purrs as she rocked him back and forth.

Rex was sure that he'd cry into the General's side at this point. They were sending children into war, ad, his vode his little vode. " _Ner ad vode,_ " he sobbed, chanting the words.

"Come on; let's get you up, this hasn't got to be comfortable," Ahsoka stated as she rubbed his arms.

Rex made no complaint as she slowly rose him to his feet to sit him on the bed, no flinch when she started to unclasp his armour to leave him in his blacks.

Ahsoka wrapped one of the blankets around Rex's shaking shoulders. "I'm just going to go grab something," she whispered before leaving the room.

She headed towards the mess hall, spotting one of the chefs, she approached, flashing her teeth slightly, "do you have about half a mug of milk I can borrow," she asked, making sure to keep her fangs on full show.

The chef gulped behind his helmet and scurried away, soon returning with what she had asked for. "Normally, this is unable to be asked for, but we just got restocked," the chef chuckled nervously before disappearing again.

Ahsoka held back her laugh as she turned towards the hot water dispenser. She filled the mug up to the top with the water before turning and leaving the room.

When she got back, she noticed that Rex, while there were no loud sobs, his body was still shaking with silent cries. He didn't acknowledge her entry until she had woven his hand around the mug and a stick in the other.

"On the end of the stick is a small lump of chocolate, you mix it into the mug, and when fully melted it makes a drink that children often have instead of caffeine - and can help sleep," Ahsoka whispered at his blank expression.

Rex slowly did as she said, watching with fascination as the drink turned from white to a deep brown. When he pulled out the stick again, he saw there was no chocolate on the end.

"Go on, take a sip," Ahsoka offered, hoping he would like the taste.

Rex slowly lifted the mug to his mouth on shaky hands, taking a small sip of the drink. His eyes widened at the explosion of flavour that swirled around his mouth and how it soothed his throat when swallowed.

He didn't notice when his tears had dried when he started to hiccup when the mug had emptied, or when Ahsoka had pushed him onto his back just like he didn't notice when she curled around him, and he didn't realise when his eyes had closed, letting him succumb to the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

As the holocall ended, leaving Anakin and Ahsoka on their own, the former turned to face the latter. "Where is Rex? He's not missed a meeting before," Anakin asked.

"I think he might still be sleeping," Ahsoka shrugged.

"He doesn't usually sleep longer than a few hours," Anakin stated, "what's different now?"

"The fact he cried himself to sleep," Ahsoka offered with a mumble.

"He _cried_ himself to sleep?!" Anakin exclaimed, happy that there was no one else but the two of them present.

"Do you know how old the clones are?" Ahsoka suddenly questioned.

"I always presumed they'd at least be older teens when they go out to war," Anakin shrugged.

"Rex was nine when he went out to war," Ahsoka said, "now they are six and younger when they go to war."

"They're sending children to war?" Anakin asked, " _children in the bodies of men; sent to a war that they didn't start._ "

"He hadn't had the time for it to sink in," Ahsoka stated, shuffling her feet, "so it hit him hard."

"Is that why I got told you half threatened a chef for some milk last night?"

"I only smiled," Ahsoka defended, "it just worked in my favour that he finds fangs scary."

"Well, did it work?" Anakin sighed.

"Did what work?"

"Did it calm him down?" Anakin asked.

Ahsoka thought back before answering, "he stopped crying, and eventually fell asleep. But he looked out of it mostly."

"Doesn't surprise me that he stayed out of it, every clone counts each other as a brother," Anakin stated, "it's like learning a baby brother was given a gun and told to kill or be killed. As well as being told that he wasn't who he thought he was his whole life."

Ahsoka didn't say anything as she turned on her heels, and walked away, lost deep within her thoughts. She only came out of her thoughts when she reached her new room, pausing only for a moment before entering.

Rex stared up from his hands, looking over at Ahsoka before looking away. "You probably think me weak now," he mumbled, unable to even glance her way anymore.

"No, I don't. I always live by a quote," Ahsoka said as she sat on the bed, forcing Rex to look at her, "people cry not because they are weak, its because they've been too strong for too long."

Rex huffed, diverting his eyes. "I've heard that before, yet others look down on those who still cry."

"Ok, my people have a tradition," Ahsoka said, "one day a year, everyone meets up, the strongest fighters, the leaders, to the youngest children, in the central area and just cry together."

Rex looked at Ahsoka, confused as to why she was bringing it up.

"It's an old belief, dating back centuries," Ahsoka furthered, "they have a saying to go with it; that being strong, only showing a happy face, being positive, is like holding your breath underwater. You can't do it forever. But when you cry, it's reaching to the surface, taking in air to stop you from drowning; allowing you to be strong once again."

"And doing it together?" Rex asked.

"It's to show unity within everyone, that right down to basics, everyone is equal to each other," Ahsoka stated before giggling slightly, "the only time you'd been called weak was if you did not attend. Even those in medical attend, only the unconscious have an excuse. If there is an elder that can not move far, then they come to them or help them move."

"That sounds like the pile up the boys do if someone has a nightmare," Rex commented.

"And it's often followed by a celebratory feast," Ahsoka smiled, "for the newfound strength and unity of the village for the next year."

"It sounds like it's a big thing," Rex noticed.

"It's massive, and will happen more than once a year if the village needs it," Ahsoka added.

"Why are you bringing this up now?"

Ahsoka smiled at the way that Rex had noticed the reason, "because I think you and the boys will drown if you hold your breaths any longer."

\-----

"How did you find an area large enough to fit the whole of the 501st, 212th and the 104th?" Rex asked as he saw the gathered clones.

"Well, this is where they repair the larger ships of the fleets and have allowed us to use it for the day," Ahsoka shrugged.

"Who'd you scare?" Rex questioned, folding his arms.

"People need to stop being afraid of fangs otherwise I'll never be able to smile without scaring someone," Ahsoka said.

"What are we all doing here, Rex, sir?" Cody asked as he approached the two.

"It's come to my attention that you've all been too strong for too young, warriors at young ages," Ahsoka stated, watching as the Clone Commander pieced it together.

"Something caused a break down that ended in tears, a realisation of sorts," Cody realised.

Rex looked away, knowing that his brother had pieced together who it was that had the 'break down', even with everything said, he still felt like he was weak and being judged.

"My species have a tradition that should help," Ahsoka said, snapping the two clones attention back to her, "everyone has a day of being together and crying, to breath in air before they drown."

"I take it helmets and weapons away?" Wolffe asked as he approached them. 

"Yes, and the Generals will have to place down their lightsabers as well," Ahsoka stated before turning towards the rest of the clones. "Everyone, listen up," she clapped, "I need you to mingle together, all facing the centre of the room in a tight circle. If you have close friends and brothers, stand with them - even if you wear a different colour."

The clones grumbled in confusion but were soon stood like how Ahsoka had instructed, some brushing shoulders and laughing in the smaller groups they formed.

Together, Ahsoka, Rex, Cody and Wolffe all moved towards the centre of the room, standing in the small clearing that had formed.

"Can each of you remove your helmet and weapons; placing them at your feet," Ahsoka instructed, giving the Generals a pointed glare so that they comply. She showed them all as she unclipped her lightsabers and placed them on the floor.

Rex was the next one to act as he reached up and pulled his helmet off and placed it on the floor; soon followed by his blasters and the knife he had hidden up one of his arm guards.

Soon, all the clones and Jedi had complied within the room, all looking on with confusion.

"My people have a tradition, everyone - warriors, leaders, children - comes together and opens themselves up," Ahsoka stated, "each one finds that day once a year to cry - cry if a brother had fallen if a child had been lost or even something as happy as the closeness of family and friends. It's about how being strong is holding your breath underwater, and crying is how you breathe and stop drowning."

Rex took the next step as he slowly got down so that he was kneeling, his sheb resting on his heels. "Everyone kneel, sit, lay down. On your own or with someone else - lay on top of each other if that is what feels right - but everyone, get down low," he ordered, watching as everyone complied.

"People can often see crying as a sign of weakness, but with this tradition," Ahsoka furthered, "not crying is showing that you are weak and unable to be strong anymore."

Cody took the initiative this time, "we huddle when a vod has a nightmare, or if we just want to. This is the same; we are comforting each other."

"Some of us see us like we are _just clones_ that we are nothing more than parts for war," Wolffe stated gruffly, "but deep down, we all know that we are human. We might have come from tubes, but we are flesh. We think, and we feel."

"And that holding our breaths will end us quicker than any war," Rex finished.

"So we sit together, right now, and open ourselves up," Ahsoka stated as tears slowly started to form and run down her cheeks.

The Generals watched as slowly a wall seemed to break, and like a ripple, each clone started to cry, starting from the centre and working their way out. They looked at each other before they let their masks break and for years of withheld tears to run free down their cheeks finally.

Soon the echoing sobs changed, while there were still tears, but now laughs and singing was coming from different groups. The sounds rose and fell like waves across a tropical shore—each tone reverbing on the metal walls.

Everything mixed, forming a form of music, not happy, not sad. But unique to everyone there. No voice was heard above the rest and none hidden by another. Everyone equals.

Ahsoka and Rex looked at each other as they got up and made their way to one of the ships, opening the doors to reveal as many blankets they could smuggle into the room. There would not be enough for everyone, but if people share, then there would be enough for everyone to be covered.

Soon, the blankets were distributed, groups getting one or two between them. Each General had one, but by the time that the two had got to the centre again, they had moved to sit within a group of clones.

Plo was with a good chunk of the 104th, including Wolffe. They were huddled almost in a pile, only needing the three blankets they had to cover them all.

Obi-Wan was sitting in a sea of yellow, blue and grey. One Clone Commander with a scar around his eye had managed to tuck himself into the Jedi Masters side.

Anakin was already central in the room by the time Ahsoka and Rex had got there. The Jedi Knight had Tup curled up in his lap, and Fives and Hardcase tucked into each side.

Rex saw the look the Echo through his way when he sat down, with a smile, he raised one of his arms, signalling for Echo to come over. He grunted when the ARC trooper threw himself into his side. Rex lowered his arm against the shaking clone, pulling him close to his side as the man, his little vod, cried. His lips twitched when he felt Ahsoka push herself against his other side, clutching his hand close to her.

Slowly, sleep brushed against them all, wrapping them up in a blanket of comfort as it rocked them into their depths.

\-----

Mace Windu sighed as he got up from his seat, both Master Koon and Master Kenobi were missing from the meeting - a meeting that had been arranged around them being present. "I'm going to try and find them," he sighed after yet another comm went unanswered.

After looking in every place he thought they could be, he turned towards a clone walking guard through the halls, "have you seen General Kenobi or General Koon?"

"I saw both of them head toward the starship repair hanger about three hours ago, sir," the clone answered with a salute.

"Thank you, continue with patrol," Mace nodded before heading off towards the location stated by the clone.

\-----

Mace thought that maybe the two were there to have a shout at Skywalker for being too wrapped up in an engine for his good, that they might be there to check on repairs to one of their aircraft.

What he did not think of was a mass gathering of clones. On closer inspection, he saw it; there weren't just clones in the room.

The two Jedi Master was fast asleep, clones tucked into their sides and circled up around them or even on them.

Obi-Wan had his Commander clinging to his side; the others circled him protectively.

Plo was in a massive dogpile. His clones were living up to their name of WolfPack.

Another inspection showed that both young Skywalker and Padawan Tano were central in the room.

Skywalker seemed to be a three clone teddy; one clone was even using him as a bed.

Ahsoka was not the centre of her group. Instead, she was clinging to Captain Rex while everyone else clung to him or circled them.

" _Master Ti, can you pull up the security feed of the starship repair hanger,_ " Mace spoke in a whisper in his comms.

 _"Is that the 212th, 104th and the 501st?"_ Kit asked.

" _It does seem to be, Master Koon, Master Kenobi, Padawan Tano and young Skywalker are also present in separate piles,_ " Mace whispered back.

 _"Yes, clones have curled around and on them,"_ Eeth stated.

 _"They look to have been crying,"_ Kit observed.

 _"This seems to have come from Padawan Tano; it's an old tradition. To cry together. Bringing strength and unity to everyone,"_ Shaak stated.

" _I have not heard of this before,_ " Mace stated.

 _"No, it is not often written about,"_ Shaak stated, _"as much as it pains to disrupt this, you will need to bring Master Kenobi and Master Koon, try not to wake anyone."_ She stated, ending the holocall.

Mace carefully walked through the piles of sleeping clones, wordlessly making sure any that woke up fell back asleep. Soon, he reached where Obi-Wan was sitting.

" _Obi-Wan, you need to wake up,_ " Mace whispered, unable to get close enough to touch the Jedi Master.

" _Hmm?_ " Obi-Wan hummed, his eyes opening groggily. Tucked into his side, Cody started to show signs of waking as well, a small yawn escaping his mouth.

" _Obi-Wan, we have a meeting that you are meant to be present in currently happening,_ " Mace whispered to him.

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open wide as he asked, " _that is what the time has got to?_ "

Cody felt the General wake, enticing him from the depths of sleep. " _What_ _time is it why?_ " He asked, only hearing what the General has said.

" _I have a meeting to attend; you can go back to sleep,_ " Obi-Wan stated as he prized the clone of him.

" _Kriffing meetings,_ " the Clone Commander muttered before falling back asleep.

Mace raised an eyebrow at the clone but otherwise said nothing as he led Obi-Wan to where Plo was asleep. Together, with Obi-Wan, they used the force to lift the clones from Plo and pull the Jedi Master out. " _Do_ _all Clone Commanders get this attached to their Generals?_ " Mace asked when he saw that Wolffe was also clutching for dear life onto Plo.

" _They do tend to form bonds between each other, and subsequently us. They struggle without the bonds,_ " Obi-Wan shrugged as he woke Plo.

" _Is it time for the meeting?_ " Plo asked as he woke Wolffe. " _Wolffe, I need to go for a meeting, tell the pack when they wake._ "

" _Di'kutla meetings,_ " Wolffe groaned as he felt Plo peel him away from him.

" _I'll make sure to mention that,_ " Plo stated as he watched Wolffe curl up in a huff.

" _Are we ready,_ " Mace asked, boredom evident in his voice.

" _Just because your boys are not comfortable around you enough to sleep doesn't mean you have to sulk,_ " Obi-Wan teased as the three started to head towards the Jedi Council room.

\-----

Rex groaned, it felt like both his arms were dead and his legs were not in any better condition. He could feel two weights across his chest as well. With that thought, his eyes flicked open at a rate of lightspeeds. On his chest was Echo's head and Ahsoka's head, both fast asleep.

Looking around, he noticed that both Obi-Wan and Plo had gone. Most likely a Jedi Council Meeting had started, and the two had to be present for it.

Of to the side, he could hear the grumbling of someone waking up; a glance showed it to be Anakin. The Jedi Knight was rubbing his eyes, his arms thankfully not blocked by the clones grasping onto him.

" _If we slowly start waking everyone, the food booking should be soon,_ " Rex whispered as he slowly woke Echo and instructed him to wake the others.

" _Food booking?_ " Anakin asked.

" _Its a type of celebration for the newfound strength and harmony of the 'tribe', sir,_ " Rex explained as he started to wake up Ahsoka.

" _Well, you had me at food anyway,_ " Anakin chuckled.

" _Boys and their food,_ " Ahsoka yawned.

"We need it to live!" Anakin defended playfully as the three started to wake those around them.

Soon, everyone was awake. There were a few close calls, Wolffe deciding that he did not like anyone but his pack waking him - causing a small fight to happen between Rex and Wolffe.

Ahsoka grabbed Rex by the ear and pulled him away from Wolffe while the WolfPack worked on calming the Commander down. " _I can look after myself,_ " Ahsoka hissed at Rex before turning towards Wolffe, "I know you don't enjoy others waking you outside the pack, but it doesn't mean you can get aggressive."

When both clones looked thoroughly reprimanded, they all set off to where the food was being kept.

One of the city halls had allowed them to store food in there for the feast and had opened up the gate to the park they were connected to.

"Take only one plate; you can always go back for more once everyone has got their food," Ahsoka instructed as the clones walked to collect their food.

As they walked in, each clone was amazed at the selection of food present, then the amount each had was mindboggling. It would easily allow each of them a chance to try almost all types of food.

The park was filled with the laughs of the gathered clones as they tucked into the food, real food, not ration bars that they usually got.

Ahsoka looked over the group, noticing that any tension that was previously present between any of them had faded into the background as all the clones had shared their tears and the food.

"I think it worked," Rex commented.

"Yes, it did," Ahsoka nodded with a smile.


	4. Chapter 4

They'd reached yet again another dead end if dead ends mean a massive hundred-foot drop of a cliff.

"We can't find any other dead ends, Snips; there are no cliffs this way, Snips," Ahsoka snapped, "well this looks like a dead end and a cliff!"

Anakin pretended not to hear the sniggers that went through the men. "Well, the map states this should be a path, not a cliff!"

Rex approached Anakin, looking at where the man was pointing to on his map. "Sir, try here on the map," he stated, pointing off to the right—locating the cliff, they were stood on.

"So we've been to the right this whole time?!" Anakin screeched.

"Seems so, Skyguy," Ahsoka smiled, "Rex, you seem to know where we are, take the map and lead us out of this maze, we were meant to be on the gunship yesterday."

Anakin huffed as he handed over the map, stepping back to allow the Captain to take charge.

"Alright, we march due west until sunset to make camp, if all goes well, we'll be back in the barracks in no time," Rex ordered as the men all got back to their feet.

\-----

"My legs feel like they're going to fall off," Ahsoka grumbled as she ate her rations. "And rations suck."

"You could have hunted one of those beasts we saw not too long ago, sir," Rex pointed out.

"Then we'd have to carry it here," Ahsoka stated, stretching slightly.

"I didn't think you were one to complain to a chance to hunt, sir," Rex commented.

Ahsoka huffed before puffing up at the challenge. She grabbed a small blade from Rex's hand before running off into the forest.

"What's Snips doing?" Anakin asked Rex as he watched Ahsoka disappear into the forest.

"Hunting, sir," Rex answered, "the Commander complained about the rations, and I asked why hasn't she hunted those beasts we ran into a little back."

"You've just set it up so that the others can have meat on top of their rations," Anakin pointed out through slitted eyes.

"The Commander gets what she wants, and it just so happens to be enough meat on those animals for the boys as well. It's a win-win situation, sir," Rex shrugged.

It wasn't long before Ahsoka came back dragging one of the colossal beast, covered in its blood. She sat in front of the fire, skinning the animal before letting Rex deal with the rest.

Rex approached Ahsoka, pulling out a cleaning cloth from a pouch in his belt and giving it to Ahsoka before cutting the beast apart and setting it to cook in the stew he'd started.

"That seemed organised," Anakin stated the statement going through everyone heads.

"You think I carry that much meat each time we have a meat stew?" Rex asked everyone.

"We thought it was pre-made meat stew with how nice it tasted," Fives stated.

"No, Alpha trained us all to cook," Rec stated as he continued to work on the stew, "give Cody fruits and vegetables, and he'll cook you something amazing, Wolffe given meat will leave it almost bloody but amazing, and I seemed to have been the middle ground and worked with both."

Ahsoka came over and sniffed at the meal, her nose wrinkling at the overpowering smell.

"Your's is still over there, sir," Rex stated, pointing to a large chunk of meat away from the fire. "Can you crush up one of the larger bones, sir?"

Ahsoka hummed as she almost disintegrated the bone, before handing it over to Rex on a rock. She turned away, grabbing her meat, and went back to her seat to eat the bloody meat.

Some of the clones felt their stomachs heave as Rex added the bone marrow to the stew.

Rex rolled his eyes at their looks, "bone marrow is healthy for you, goes well in a stew and enhances the flavour. Without the bone marrow, the stew would not taste as good. And the powdered bone is added calcium."

"It's a delicacy in some places," Ahsoka pointed out between bites of her meat.

Rex let it simmer for a while before pointing for the clones to come up with their plates slowly. "The stew is done," Rex stated before dishing out the plates for all the clones.

"This is good, Rex," Anakin stated, demolishing the bowl within seconds.

"Thank you, sir," Rex nodded as he finished filling his bowl.

The clearing was quiet as they all tucked into their food, occasionally broken by a happy noise by one of the clones. The camp started to slow further as more and more men climbed in their shared sleeping tent.

They had about four in total; General, Commander and Captain, ARC, Men. The first three tents were designed for one person, two at most if you didn't like personal space, but the last one could hold fifteen bunks and took six clones to carry.

Soon, it was just Ahsoka and Rex left. The two worked in silence as they cleaned up what the clones had missed.

" _Do you think you could run the skin somewhere far, so we don't have an unwanted visitor?_ " Rex asked with a whisper.

Ahsoka nodded as she picked up the skin before charging into the forest. When she got back, she saw Rex come marching out of their tent looking ready to murder someone. " _You_ _alright?_ " She asked, stopping him from his march.

" _Just going to murder some troopers in their sleep,_ " Rex hissed.

Ahsoka made a signal for Rex to stay where he was - igniting a huff from the annoyed Captain - before going to the tent to see why he'd reacted in that way.

Inside the tent, everything was covered in different furs.

Walking out, she approached him, "so _what do you want to do about it?_ " She asked.

" _Apart from stunning them and make them carry all the equipment? Nothing else that is allowed by the GAR,_ " Rex growled.

" _Well, I saw a pond a little back,_ " Ahsoka offered with a smirk.

" _Guess it's good that I never told you Fives hates slimy stuff and Hardcase anything with more than four legs?_ " Rex smirked back.

" _Yeah, shame,_ " Ahsoka sighed, before smirking, " _that would have been a perfect piece of revenge._ "

" _I thought revenge wasn't the Jedi way?_ "

Ahsoka laughed, " _guess that's why I'm the Padawan!_ "

\-----

Ahsoka focused as she made the animals float to the desired people. She got the frog-like creature over the top of Fives while getting a giant spider into place with Hardcase. After counting to three, she let them drop.

Two tents burst into action and screams. There were shouts from the tent with the rest of the men as they all worked on trying to get away from the spider while there was almost cries coming from the ARC tent.

All the commotion woke Anakin up, causing the man to come flying out of his tent, lightsaber blazing, ready for an attack. He didn't expect to find men pouring out of their tents in a panic. "What is going on here?" Anakin asked Ahsoka.

Ahsoka focused on hiding her glee before answering, "well, Fives is complaining that something slimy touched him while the boys are yelling spider, so I am presuming that animals got into their tents."

"Fives hates slimy things," Rex clarified, "and some of the men dislike anything with more than four legs - as well as most of them are afraid of spiders, sir."

"Can you calm them down, Rex?" Anakin sighed.

Rex hid his grin as he placed his mask on before storming up to both tents and commanding at his loudest tone, "everybody, out, now!"

The result was a quick scramble of men out of doors, almost leading to a clone pile being formed in their haste. They lined up in front of Rex, some only in their blacks, some partly in uniform.

"Can anyone explain to me why we were screaming like shinies?" Rex asked, "it seemed like the shinies were the only ones not screaming."

"Something slimy landed on me, sir!" Fives defended.

"There was a spider, sir," the rest of the men defended.

"That does not explain why you had to try and wake the whole forest," Rex stated, crossing his arms to give a serious, disappointed and strict look across while he was almost in tears at how much he needed to laugh.

Ahsoka kept having to build her wall as laughter kept trying to break it down. All it took was for her to look at the men's faces for her concentration to lapse and the laughter to come through. It started as a quiet giggle but kept increasing until it was a loud laugh.

That was what was needed for Rex's resolve to break as he soon joined her in laughing.

"What the kriff is going on here?" Anakin shouted along with half the clones.

Rex sobered up quickly and turned to give his deadliest glare he could with his helmet, "Fives and Hardcase need to learn to stop trying to prank us. You live together; you fight together; you die together; you get punished together."

All the clones turned and glared at Fives and Hardcase. They thought they would have learned their lesson from last time, but it seemed that they had not.

During this time, Ahsoka had been using the force drag the spider and frog-thing back.

Fives and Hardcase screamed as they felt something slip down the back of their blacks. They brought everyone to laughs as they danced around batting at their backs, trying to get whatever it was out.

"The slimy thing has gone down the back of my blacks!" Fives screeched, panicking as he could not get them out.

"I can feel all its legs! There's eight of them!" Hardcase cried as he danced around, eventually backing into a tree.

"Did you just kill the spider against your back?" Ahsoka asked through her laughs.

It took a moment for it to sink in before Hardcase was back to panicking, eventually being shoved into the tent to get into a different set of blacks.

Echo sighed as he pinned Fives down and reached and picked up the slimy animal from Fives back. "It's gone," he stated as he stopped pinning the ARC trooper down.

Fives sighed as he stayed on the floor, looking up at the night sky in relief. Hardcase collapsed to the floor next to him in his change of blacks.

"Are you going to stop trying to prank us?" Ahsoka asked.

"Or do we need to walk through the bog tomorrow to make sure?" Rex added.

"No, no, no!" Both Fives and Hardcase exclaimed, "we'll stop pranking you!"

"I'll hold you to that," Ahsoka smirked.

Fives and Hardcase groaned.

\-----

"I thought you said we would go through the bog if we continued to prank you, sirs?" Fives asked.

"This isn't the bog, at least not the whole of it," Rex stated, "we have to go through a small bit of the side to get where we are meant to be because of General Skywalker's scenic route."

Anakin could feel the glares from under each helmet.

"So this is not the nasty part of the bog?"

"We could be going through the centre of it, be quicker if we could guarantee no predatorial animals and a shallow path," Ahsoka stated.

Suddenly all the clones were looking around at their feet a whole lot more.

"If there were any predators," Ahsoka started.

"You would not see them," Rex finished, "they'd like to sneak up on unsuspecting prey."

"Are you trying to give them nightmares?" Anakin hissed

"Just making sure they're vigilant," Ahsoka shrugged, "like for the snake about to bite you."

Anakin flung around with his lightsaber just in time to cut the head of the snake off the mid-strike. "How the kriff did you know about that?"

"We had to get the 'slimy thing' from a pond, we met a much larger version of that snake, sir," Rex shrugged.

"This is the size of its fang!" Ahsoka stated, pulling out a giant fang about the length of a blaster.

"You kept the fang, sir?" Rex asked.

Ahsoka shrugged before putting it away again, "it looked nice, might make something out of it. I even got some of the scales; after all, they seemed quite resistant to blaster shots."

"And lightsabers when large enough," Rex pointed out.

"How the kriff did you kill it if it could resist both your weapons?"

"It struck at Rex, and its fang got lodged in the dirt," Ahsoka stated.

"I drove the fang through the back of its head when it struck at the Commander, sir," Rex finished.

"How didn't we hear this all happen?" Echo asked.

"The pond wasn't very close, and we were quiet," Ahsoka shrugged, "and we knew that we were going out there to get something to prank some of you, so we were not going to drag attention.

"Also, none of you is particularly innocent in the head," Rex pointed out, getting some grumbling from the clones.

"You sneaked out of the camp, and no one knew?" Anakin asked.

"It was stupidly easy," Ahsoka hugged, "the clones snore like beasts, and you were dead to the world."

"That's why you are the one that usually wakes to a threat first," Anakin mumbled.

"I'm the danger alarm?" Ahsoka asked, before stating sarcastically, "geez, thanks."

"Of course, Snips," Anakin grinned. 

"You're going to need a new danger alarm because this ones about to become the danger, Skyguy," Ahsoka growled with a hiss.

Rex took that moment to step between the two arguing lightsaber-wielding force-users with the map. "We have about three hours left in this bog side and five hours of daylight left, we need to get going so that we are away from the bog before making camp for the night," Rex stated, knowing both could quickly get through him if they wanted.

It was a tense moment before both force-users nodded and Rex ordered the continuation of the march. The walk itself wasn't much better, but they were able to keep General Skywalker at the back to 'help keep those at the back safe' while having Ahsoka leading the group up front with Rex.

\-----

Ahsoka was the one that heard the hiss first, but Rex was the one that acted first.

He sent one blast towards the snake so that it would not go towards the men, but instead himself and Ahsoka. He then grabbed the fang from Ahsoka before letting the Commander distract it with her lightsaber and the blasts of the men before circling the snake.

No one saw what Rex was doing until he was on the neck of the snake and driving the fang through its head. The snake fought before going limp.

Rex slid off after wrenching the fang from its head. He kicked the head to the side before sticking his hand in to get the other teeth. "It's not as large as the one at the pond, more hungry though to go after a group," Rex commented as he turned his head to look at the others. "What?"

"You just drove a fang through a snake large enough to eat you whole fives times, and you ask 'what?'" Anakin asked, only just picking up his jaw.

"Well, that is how we said we killed the larger one, sir," Rex stated.

"None of us thought we'd ever see you jump onto something to stab it," Fives pointed out, "we always thought that would be left to the Jedis."

"Just because I don't have the Force?" Rex asked, crossing his bloody hands.

Most clones - and Anakin - shuffled their feet slightly at being caught.

"Shall we move on to avoid another snap fest?" Ahsoka offered before walking off and forcing the others to follow her.

\-----

"We were going to send a rescue team out to get you," Obi-Wan stated, crossing his arms as he watched Anakin and the 501st arrive.

"Why hadn't you sent one out yet?" Anakin asked.

"We figured you took a 'scenic route' that meant someone else took the map from you," Obi-Wan shrugged with a grin.

"I don't know who you peg me for," Anakin huffed.

"An Anakin Skywalker," Ahsoka commented from behind as she helped get some of the men into the gunships.

Anakin heard the sniggers that ran through the men. "You too?!" He exclaimed when a snort came from his Captain's helmet.

Rex turned his helmeted head towards Anakin, "I don't know what you're talking about, sir," before turning and leaving the two General's alone.

"What did they end up having to walk through?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The edge of a bog," Anakin huffed, "and attacked by snakes with scales resistant to blasters and lightsabers when large enough."

"I doubt you could outrun them," Obi-Wan stated.

"Snips and Rex found that they are not resistant to their fangs," Anakin stated.

"How'd they find that out?"

"They got attacked by a pond during one of the nights and Rex drove the fang through the head of the snake in the end," Anakin stated.

"The 501st are all boarded, sir," Cody stated as he approached the two.

"Tell the pilots we can leave," Obi-Wan nodded.

\-----

"We have a mission to assist the prince of an underwater world," Ahsoka huffed to Rex.

"You'll have breathing equipment," Rex pointed out.

"My montrals and lekku will get slimy and muffled," Ahsoka whined.

"You don't have a helmet that has a sort of protection for them?" Rex asked.

"They say they'll act like fish barbel, so I should keep them out," Ahsoka huffed, "I think they don't want to spend out to design and make a new type of helmet."

"You dislike going into water that much?" Rex questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"No, it is the chance of how long it might take, so how long we will be in the water," Ahsoka shrugged.

"At least you will be helping the people," Rex noted.

"You are just trying to calm me down so that I don't jump on the next person that annoys me," Ahsoka pointed out.

"Is it working?"

Ahsoka sighed, "yes."

\-----

"Commander?"

"What?!" Ahsoka snapped before rubbing her head, "sorry Fives I got a bit of a headache from trying to talk to Skyguy."

Fives gulped slight, taking a step back before stating, "the boys and I were just wondering whether you and Rex wanted to watch a holomovie with us?"

"Yeah, might help get my mind off things for a while, count Rex and me in," Ahsoka shrugged, pointing for Fives to lead the way.

"Don't I get a call in this, sir?" Rex asked.

"No, you know how to get the snacks from the others," Ahsoka grinned.

"Captain turned servent," Fives grinned with a laugh.

"I could get you to do it, Fives," Ahsoka stated, grinning over at Fives.

"You know what, I think the Captain would be perfect to be able to get the snacks, they'll listen to him," Fives back-peddled.

"Thanks for the backup, Fives," Rex growled.

"Rex, Snips has fangs," Fives stated with a shiver.

"Who else are you going to scare using your fangs?" Rex huffed out.

"I keep telling you; I'm only smiling," Ahsoka defended through a grin.

"A smile that you make sure leaves your fangs right in view."

"I'm sorry that everyone seems to dislike non-teeth showing smiles but the moment that I do teeth showing they do whatever I say because suddenly it's scary fangs showing."

Fives was watching the two talk like it was a sports match, suddenly happy he hit record on his comm unit. When the tao seemed to have stopped, he waved to grab their attention before walking away to lead them to the others.

"What took you so long?" Echo asked Fives when they entered the room.

"It took me a while to locate the two," Fives shrugged, making sure to signal to his comm unit.

Echo hid his grin as he nodded, "everything is set up already."

Fives sat down next to his brothers, taking the bowl of popcorn from Jessie with a grin. The next free seats were two central towards the back, making it very clear why the clones had asked for them.

Rex huffed as they walked over to the free seats, making sure to take the popcorn from Fives on his way there. He sat down next to Ahsoka, making sure to leave space between them the best that he could. He wasn't supposed when the bowl floated from his hands and into Ahsoka's as she happily munched away watching the start of the holomovie.

\-----

There was a tight squeak from the back, and turning around they could see it had come from Tup. The Commander must have fallen asleep at one point because she was half leaning against him.

Eyes danced between the shaken clone, sleeping Commander and tense Captain. It was evident that Rex was not pleased about the situation, but was hesitant to act, which they were all happy from as they weren't sure whether this action would be to attack Tup or move the Commander.

"I-er?" Tup gulped, looking up at Rex.

Rex shook his head before he slowly shook the Commander, only just dodging the fist that came around to hit him. "Sir, as much as you might find Tup comfortable, he's not very comfortable in the situation."

Ahsoka grunted as she looked around before pushing herself off of Tup, "didn't realise I'd fell asleep."

"We didn't until Tup squealed," Fives laughed.

Rex got himself to his feet before helping Ahsoka to hers, "let's get you back, the holomovie is over anyway," he stated before turning and guiding Ahsoka away.

Fives waited a while after the door had closed before calling all the clones in around him, "this was the reason we were late," he hushed before playing the recording over his comms.

Silent laughs went around the room as they listened on.

"I'd say they sounded like a couple there," Hardcase pointed out.

"Rex was rather informal."

"Cute, though."

"How long until the real fake mating becomes real real fake mating?" A clone asked.

"Five rotations, it will begin then!"

"No, both have the codes. Ten rotations!"

"Three missions, one together, one separated, one together," another clone stated firmly. "I think it's a lovely pattern that could pull them together," he defended at the looks he got

"Hah! Rex might have been informal, but it won't go like that!"

"At least a year!"

"You're on!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Long live the king!"

Between their water masks, both Rex and Ahsoka shared a hidden smile.

\-----

"What do you mean I can not go!"

"They feel after your time in the water your senses will be too impaired to fight in a darkened world," Anakin sighed at Ahsoka's outburst.

"If I may cut in, sirs," Rex stated, stepping between the Force-users, "Commander, you have been off centre and have nearly walked into a wall in moments of loss of balance. It would be unwise for you to enter a battlefield while you are in such a state."

Ahsoka could not prevent the hurt that flashed over her before she turned and stormed out, slamming the door as she left.

\-----

"Rex, what are you doing back here?" Cody asked as he saw his brother enter the shared barrack, "you haven't slept here in ages."

"It might be safer for me to sleep here," Rex said as he shrugged off his armour, "and I could not enter the room anyway."

"Alright, I'm going to check the men are bunked down," Cody nodded as he headed to the door.

"You're behind schedule," Rex muttered as he fell asleep.

As Cody walked down the hall, he spoke into his comm," Fives, Waxer get all the boys into the hanger."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

\-----

"Why are we here?" The clones asked as they waited for Commanding officers.

"Because I have some news that you would enjoy hearing," Cody spoke as he entered the hanger, his helmet was in his arm so that the others knew it wasn't military based.

"What is it?" Waxer asked.

"Who has the book for all things between Rex and Commander Tano?" Cody asked.

"I got it, never leaves my side," Fives shouted, waving it in the air.

"Has anyone betted on Rex being in the dog house?"

A loud laugh went through the room. The clones could not help but laugh at the Commanders words.

"He's currently asleep in his old room after not being able to get into his new room," Cody furthered, "he said it might be safer anyway."

"They've had an argument or something then?" Echo mused.

"Could it be about that mission we will be going on?" Boil asked.

"Could be, the Commander would not be ready for such a mission," Kix stated, "she was underwater too long for her health."

"If they are being separated, would they not want to stay together just for that extra time?" Fives asked.

"I think Rex must have openly agreed with the Commander not going," Cody sighed, "it probably upset her more than he thought it would."

"It would make sense, they've always backed each other," Echo stated.

"With their status, it would hurt because of that as well," Boil pointed out.

"Just, be careful," Cody sighed, "I think you might get 'cranky' Captain back quicker than you thought you would."

\-----

"What do you mean you were called back?!" Ahsoka hissed when she saw Anakin step off the gunship.

"You've not been resting I see," Anakin commented.

"Don't change the subject," Ahsoka hissed back.

"How about this, Senator Amidala needs a guard," Anakin offered, "you go guard her while she shops for the upcoming events."

"I get no choice with this," Ahsoka stated.

"You're lucky I'm allowing you out while you are not entirely in control, you need to rain yourself in otherwise you'll be off the battlefield longer," Anakin stated protectively.

Ahsoka bit back the growl before choking out as calm as she could, "how long?"

"The Senator said she'd pick you up and you'll stay with her until you calm or Rex comes back," Anakin said before leaving.

Ahsoka huffed, rolling her eyes even though she knew that it would be needed. Hopefully, being a guard to the Senator will be what is required to help her find her centre again.

\-----

"Ok, your turn!" Padme stated, pushing Ahsoka towards the measurement taker.

Before Ahsoka managed to deny she found herself pushed onto the podium and her measurements started to be taken.

"What we doing?" The measurement taker asked.

"Everything," Padme smiled, "we need the measurements needed for a whole range of different wardrobes."

"Of course," the measurement taker said.

"Why do they need to know the distance between two toes?" Ahsoka asked as she pulled her boots back on.

"Some shoes are designed to mould around your feet," Padme stated like it was apparent.

"Why am I getting new clothing?" Ahsoka asked as they started to browse through the fabrics and designs.

"Because you need something to distract you and for you to show off with," Padme stated. "It will be good for you."

"How is shopping meant to be good?" Ahsoka asked, cringing at some of the designs and colours.

Padme cringed at the ones Ahsoka saw before replying, "because one way of finding your centre is trying lots of things on, walking in heels and seeing how you look in the mirror."

"You didn't need to go shopping, did you?" Ahsoka mussed.

"No, I went last week," Padme laughed, "I'm helping you out, and getting away from some of the clingy guards."

"Don't let Skyguy find out about those," Ahsoka laughed.

"Why do you think I get clone or him guarding me so much?" She laughed back before holding out a bodysuit, "what do think about this?"

"Looks nice," Ahsoka offered.

"You're trying it on!"

\-----

"Finally done with clothing shopping!" Ahsoka yelled out, "I can rest my feet!"

"Yes, but we still have jewellery shopping to do!" Padme stated happily.

"Oh kriff," Ahsoka muttered.

"Language."

Ahsoka glared at Padme, "I like the language I used."

"I don't," Padme huffed, her lips twitching slightly.

"Guess you've not been near Skyguy enough."

"Yeah, your language is rather pleasant compared to his," Padme stated.

"Where do you think I learned mine from?" Ahsoka asked.

"The clones?"

"Some of them."

"What can I help you two fine ladies with this afternoon?" The storeworker asked.

"I'm looking for a range of different jewellery for my friend here," Padme stated, pointing to Ahsoka making sure the man saw the lightsabers Ahsoka wore.

Suddenly the man snapped into his business mask, "what is the occasion?"

"Everything, we are doing a whole new wardrobe," Padme smiled.

"Of course, do you have the measurements?" He asked.

"Yes, right here," Padme stated, handing over a copy of the needed measurements.

\-----

"I think that one would go well with the dark deep blue bodysuit we just got," Padme mused, looking over the headdress Ahsoka was wearing.

"It fits nice," Ahsoka commented, "delicate and subtle until in the light."

"I have a belt to match if you'd like to see," the man offered.

"Yes, bring it out," Padme stated, watching as the man went to grab the belt. "Do you have a changing room we can use for my friend to get into the bodysuit to see whether it works together?"

"Of course, second door on the right," the man said as he walked back.

Ahsoka returned in her bodysuit before accepting the belt from the man.

"You'll need different shoes for that, I have an older pair outback, but they are built strong," the man said before hurrying off.

Padme felt her jaw drop at the boots the man returned with; they were an old edition of one of the best know boots for woman warriors back before Ahsoka was even born.

"They were a prototype, didn't go in for the final design, in the end, the designs on them were taken to be useless in a fight," the man explained as he helped Ahsoka slowly put on the boots. "They're lightly armoured as well."

"They fit well," Ahsoka stated, "so soft yet they fell so strong."

"You'd have to have a lightsaber slash at them to break them," the man said before turning towards Padme, "I think I have some other items, but they are old prototypes. It will take me a while to dig them out."

"If you think they might fit, bring them out, and we'll have a look," Padme nodded, noticing the ideas brimming in the man's eyes.

The man nodded with a smile before hurrying off, quite a few bangs echoing from where he was in the basement. He returned with three boxes in his hands, "I have a thin light ice-blue robe that was meant to be translucent, but it didn't work completely, so it never sold, and I have a pair of gloves to match the boots."

"What is in the third box?" Ahsoka asked, feeling wave after wave come off the box.

"A force-user made it as a gift to the store, but we never found a use for it," the man explained, pulling out the seethrough material, "it works as a rudimentary shield, it can fit over most clothing and stop most blaster hits."

"Why haven't you got a use for it?" Padme asked, thinking that the material would be beneficial.

"It can't fit anyone of my stature, but it might just fit your friend," the shop keeper smiled, "the Jedi have saved this store, and my family more than I can count, I'd like to feel like I've repaid that debt."

" _That's so kind,_ " Ahsoka whispered.

"Go, try it on," the shopkeeper shooed.

Ahsoka hurried to do as the man said before coming back, twirling slightly to show them how it looked from all angles.

The bodysuit was dark yet deep blue, fitting to her frame snuggly. The belt was of similar colour but had ice blue threads dancing around it with a white double circle buckle. The buckle had small orange gems embedded into it as well. The gloves almost looked like they were apart of the suit but when caught in the light, shined brightly. The boots were the dark blue as well, bending nicely at the top while working towards a darker colour at the bottom, the soles being black. On the boots was a clasp made of an orange gem that looked to have been marbled with white and blue diamond. The headband had gold on her montrals before going down in a fine stip of silver that tipped off at the end of her lekku, along the silver chain was white diamonds and blue sapphires in a repeating fashion. The robe finished off the look by giving an almost light frost around her.

"You look amazing, Ahsoka," Padme said, "you are getting all that. If that is ok?"

The shopkeeper nodded, his eyes wide as he looked over Ahsoka, "I did not think it would work so well, she is to have all of that at a discounted price - please, I insist, you've already chosen to buy a lot, my rates are not known to be cheap, and they fit your friend so well."

"Of course," Padme nodded, "if you insist."

\-----

 _"How's Snips doing?"_ Anakin asked.

"When we are out, she's alright," Padme answered softly, "but without any distraction, she does not do well."

 _"How is she sleeping?"_ Anakin worried, _"at the temple; they said she wasn't sleeping at all."_

"She not as bad, but she not good," Padme stated, "she's up most nights. Getting only a couple of hours of sleep, but I would not even call those sleep, she's restless."

_"At least she is getting some shut-eye."_

"I see what you mean about being on edge," Padme laughed, "she's managed to scare or threaten all the guards I have."

 _"All of them?"_ Anakin asked, _"I thought a few as her instincts started to lose control, not all of them."_

"Yeah, they are all staying at a considerable distance from us," Padme stated, "most have decided that if something were to come up, then she would be able to handle it with little assistance needed."

 _"That would be mostly true,"_ Anakin laughed, _"I need to go now."_

" _Alright, bye, Ani,_ " Padme whispered.

 _"Bye, my wife,"_ Anakin smiled before the comm ended.

"I wonder how long that mission is going to continue," Padme mussed, looking towards the room that Ahsoka was sleeping in. "I doubt Rex is in any better state."

\-----

"You're shaking, _Captain_ ," Krell smugly stated.

Rex growled slightly, images of friendly-fire killing his brothers, of the terrible plans the man had come up with, of _clone,_ of _ct-7567._ His arms hardened, anger flaring, if this is what he is capable of here, what else will he do when he's with Dooku? Who could he go after then?

"My master will be pleased when I bring you in," Krell laughed, "Skywalker and the _P_ _adawan_ will certainly follow."

This time he could not keep the growl to himself as it racked through him, his arms stopped shaking, becoming solid as the once Jedi became the enemy before his eyes. "Guess we'll never know what will happen," Rex snarled before his finger pressed the trigger, the blast burning a hole through the body before him. Just at that moment, a second blast came flying by him.

There was a tense second as a very aggressive and defensive Rex stared down Dogma, Fives and Echo. Fives looked down at his blaster holder to see that Dogma had managed to get the blaster away from him.

The tension eventually faded as Fives managed to prise his blaster from Dogma's frozen hands and made sure to place it away from them. Echo followed suit, making sure that the only weapon near was the one in Rex's hand. They watched as slowly Rex calmed, shaking his head clear while he clipped his blaster away.

"We need to get off this Force forsaken planet," Rex snarled, watching as the lift started to take them up.

The men around him nodded their head in silent agreement.

\-----

"Sir, don't get Rex to do the debrief yet," Fives said as Anakin was about to call Rex back after the man stormed off the gunship the moment the doors opened. "We lost a lot of men, to the enemy and friendly fire."

"I heard about Krell, and about his plans, surprised it was a fireball that got him though," Anakin stated, knowing that was the false report.

" _Rex was the one that killed him; he shot him,_ " Fives whispered, " _he wasn't going to do it, but then he started threatening you and the Commander and Rex lost it. We nearly got shot at when Dogma got my blaster and fired at Krell._ "

Anakin hummed, before sending a message for Ahsoka to get back as soon she can.

\-----

Ahsoka could not help but worry with how rushed the message was from Anakin. She was doing all she could to not rush through the halls at almost running pace. When she reached their room, she was nearly knocked off her feet at the wall of grief, anger and sadness that hit her.

She hurried in, spotting Rex collapsed on his knees in the middle of the room, his helmet thrown off to the side as he cried into his hands. She hardly cared as she fell to her knees next to him, wrapping her arms around him.

She held him close as he tucked himself into her, she gently hummed and purred, letting the sound and vibrations run through him as they rocked back and forth.

Rex clutched onto Ahsoka, tucking his head as tight as he could into her neck, tears streaming down his face as loud sobs and cries broke from his mouth.

No words were spoken between the pair as they rocked backwards and forwards. No words were spoken when Cody, Fives and Echo joined them. No words were needed as they all rocked back and forth, comforting each other. No words were needed when they decided the 501st and 212th need to meet up in that hanger again.

The only words needed where the gathering of the men and the scaring of the engineers.

\-----

Anakin and Obi-Wan were not surprised to be directed towards the hanger when they questioned where anyone was. They were not surprised to see the clones all piled up together, in a single pile this time, nor were they surprised to see Ahsoka and Rex being the centre.

They were surprised to see that someone was still awake - but really, they should not be, with the sounds echoing around the room.

Ahsoka was awake, still rocking Rex slightly as she purred and hummed loud enough for all the clones to hear. It was doing what she hoped, and so far, none had a bad dream, and they all seemed to be resting peacefully.

"You ok, Snips?" Anakin called over softly.

"Hmm, yes," Ahsoka answered, turning to face them, "they needed a chance to prove to themselves they are more than clones and that they are men."

Anakin felt his heart drop at the words as he slowly moved forwards to find a gap in the group, settling himself into a pile of clones. He heard Obi-Wan do the same, watching as he sat near the centre, a shaking Cody moving to hold onto the man's Jedi robes. He felt one move to next to him, watching as Dogma shook on his own, and as Tup dug himself into his side again. With a sigh, Anakin reached over and pulled Dogma into his left, holding the boys close to him.

Ahsoka wasn't surprised when Rex had whispered to her that he wanted to go back to their room. Instead, she helped him up, explaining to the others briefly before leaving.

As Ahsoka and Rex left, Obi-Wan and Anakin found the clones slowly circling them for comfort.


	6. Chapter 6

"Remind me, Skyguy, why are you bringing two 'slaves'?" Ahsoka asked as she watched Rex get attacked by a droid.

"Because I learnt the last time that we separated you two, that very undesirable consequences happen," Anakin sighed, "so going with a pair of mated slaves, one of which being a 'mix-slave' would work instead - both being desirable and keeping you two together."

"And how would you pass Rex of as a 'mix-slave'?" Ahsoka asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

Instead of answering, Anakin pointed for Ahsoka to look over at Rex.

Rex had fake white markings running all over his skin, the most noticeable being on his forehead—white Jaig eyes like the blue ones on his helmet. When he opened his mouth, Ahsoka could see that two fake fangs had been placed, much like the ones she has.

What ruined the appearance was the large metal collar around his neck along with the metal bands that run around his arms and legs. Across his chest and upper legs was a tight white fabric keeping some of the man's dignity intact. From the bands on the arms and legs was a range of different blue silks.

"I don't like either of these outfits," Ahsoka stated to Anakin.

"Slavers like to show their power and wealth through their slaves. The more expensive the parts on the slave, the 'greater' the slaver," Anakin hissed. "You have cloaks you can wear until we are in the presence of the queen anyway."

\-----

"Is he trying to get into her pants?" Rex muttered.

Ahsoka felt her lips twitch, "you'd think having the Senator would be enough."

"Now, let's have a look at these slaves," the queen stated, "you say they're mated?"

"Yes," Anakin nodded, "one is a purebred, the other a mix-slave."

"A mix-slave?" The queen checked, "those are rare, worth a fortune."

"Only the best would do, for you, Your Majesty," Anakin stated.

"Both are fine specimens," the queen commented.

"Don't touch me," Ahsoka hissed, pulling her arms away.

Anakin quickly struck his whip on the floor, preventing Rex from jumping at the queen instead of just growling.

"They'll need to be processed," the queen sighed.

"I heard double the pleasure comes from breaking a mated pair down to slaves," Anakin soothed.

"That is true; I'm sure that the processors will have fun with these two," the queen grinned, "come, let us talk."

\-----

"I've always wondered about what a purebred and a mix-slave could have for their offspring. These two could prove quite the research project," the queen commented, "have you ever wondered, Lars?"

"No, I have not wondered into the lives of slaves," Anakin stated.

"Yes, I suppose so," the queen mused, "we are superior to them, we have no need of wondering about them who bow to us. After all, it is what they are born to do, kneel and serve their masters."

Anakin caught the wrist of the slave at a hairs width from the queen's neck. He twisted her wrist, snatching the weapon and throwing her to the floor. He felt like screaming at how she had to be treated, but he had to keep up with his appearance.

"You dare raise a hand against your master?" The queen hissed, "clearly you require further processing."

The slave panicked, moving to stand on the edge of the balcony, "no! I won't go back there!"

Anakin dove forwards to late, the slave falling and dying against the floor.

"Such a waste," the queen tutted, "but perhaps she was more trouble than she was worth. But you Lars, are proving to be quite resourceful."

Rex and Ahsoka shared a look; something was going to go wrong.

\-----

"Teach the Jedi his place."

Anakin felt the words ring in his head as he walked down the stairs towards the ring.

"Whip the Jedi! Whip the Jedi!"

It felt like the galaxy was screaming down on him. He barely heard the options the queen gave him. But he struck out with the whip, ripping the blaster from the guard's hands. His hands grasped his and Obi-Wan's lightsabers, doing quick work of those already in the ring. "Ahsoka, the queen!"

The queen stared on with almost pity as the slave girl activated a lightsaber and the other grabbing a blaster. She waited until the two were facing her when she pressed the button, the electricity coursing through them.

The queen stared as Anakin was the only one left standing, whips around his legs, arms and neck, yet he didn't fall. " _Such determination,_ " she whispered, watching as he finally fell to the restraints.

\-----

Ahsoka was the one that woke first. She blinked at her surroundings. She was locked in a cage suspended in the air. Her neck was sore, almost crackling from the burns. The room was dark and dank, like a dungeon room.

She heard a grunt, and looking over; she saw that Rex was being held in a similar inclosure to her. He was tied up and held in place, the fabric around his upper body looked to have been torn away, leaving him in fabric shorts and silks.

"Your mate proved quite a problem," came a voice, "he woke on several occasions, we resorted to whips and restraints. His screams were almost music."

Ahsoka could not help but jump forward in a hiss, the cage-rattling around her.

"Seems you too are feisty and protective," the person commented, "such fine specimens, perfect to be broken by my whip."

Rex grunted as the cage floor went beneath him, his restraints taking a second too long to let go, leaving him suspended in the air. His eyes landed on the prone form of Ahsoka as she started to push herself to her feet. He scrambled over, standing protectively in front of her.

His back screamed at him as the man's whip rained down on him, but he focused on making sure nothing was going to hit Ahsoka.

"No! Stop!" Ahsoka shouted.

"A slave dares to tell me what to do?!" The man roared in anger, his whip flying harder against Rex's back. "Beg! Beg for you master! A beast like you should only say a few words, and only in that of begging their master!"

Ahsoka felt her throat dry as Rex shouted out, the electric whips triggering the collar on his neck. "Please, please stop, master!" She begged, not wanting Rex to be hit anymore.

The man was smug when he stopped, watching as Rex collapsed, his arms not able to support his weight anymore.

"I'm sorry, Rex, I'm so sorry," she cried as she tried to pull his shaking form towards her. She then screamed out as a whip hitting her in the side.

"No talking," the man growled, watching as Rex moved to try and cover her from anymore hits, "or does your mate need more lashings?"

Ahsoka hissed, trying to pull Rex into her again. "No, master," she muttered, diverting her eyes.

"What was that?" The man hissed, his whip landing against Rex's back again.

"No, master," Ahsoka repeated, making sure it was clear.

"That's what I thought," the man smirked.

\-----

His lightsaber felt stout against his hip as he walked, the queens offer ringing around his head. She'd offered it a week ago; he had until nightfall to say his answer.

If he were to stand as her servant and bodyguard, then his friends would be set free.

A hoarse yell caught his attention and walking around the corner; he could see his worse nightmare come true. Rex was crouched over and trying to protect Ahsoka from being hit by the whips. But that wasn't stopping her from hearing the screams and the pain that flooded from Rex.

"Please, master!" Ahsoka begged, shivering under Rex's arms.

"Your mate will do anything to stop you from being hit," the guard hissed as he continued to strike at Rex, "yet you can't seem to do the simplest thing."

"I tripped, master," Ahsoka begged again.

With a final strike, the guard growled over to Ahsoka, "don't do it again."

Ahsoka sobbed as she dragged the nearly unconscious Rex into a corner, trying to curl around him.

Anakin could not keep the tears at bay as he watched his Padawan and Captain.

"Such a shame," the queen spoke as she approached from behind, "all this suffering could be fixed if you just agree."

 _'Stick to the plan,'_ Anakin's mind hissed at him, _'the signal will soon be built, and the republic will get the message.'_

 _'But what of your friends?'_ Another voice hissed, _'will they be slaves before you can act?'_

Anakin tried to shake that voice away, but it came back.

_'You only have until the sunsets; you can't make the signal by then, and your friends will be sentenced to a life in chains. Master and General, turned slave. Padawan and Commander turned slave and breeder. Captain turned slave and breeder.'_

_'No, they are stronger than that!'_ Anakin hissed to the voice.

 _'But yet look, Ahsoka is begging to her master,'_ the voice hissed again, _'Rex is doing anything, all to stop your Padawan, the one you failed, from being hurt!'_

 _'They could be lying,'_ the other voice stated.

 _'They're not, you know they're not,'_ the other voice whispered again.

"You don't have long left, you could say it right now and stop their suffering," the queen offered.

"It's a tough decision; I need time," Anakin stated through gritted teeth.

"Only to nightfall, otherwise you all will be slaves," the queen warned as she continued to walk down the path.

\-----

Ahsoka hissed as she saw three guards enter. She held the unconscious Rex close to her. The wake-up call was horrible; they'd restrained Rex with three whips, holding him as other lashes slashed down on him.

"Hold her down," one of the guards ordered, the others quick to comply.

The lack of food and exercise had got to Ahsoka as for all she fought; they dragged her away from Rex, pinning her to the floor.

The other guard pulled out a cream, rubbing it into the wounds on Rex's back. "This will prevent infection and death," the man said as he turned towards Ahsoka. "Now, the mates turn. If she is to be a breeder as well as a slave, then she needs to be kept healthy," he spoke as he crouched next to the wiggling Ahsoka.

Ahsoka tried to pull away as he pulled out what looked to be a small gun from his pocket.

"Now this won't hurt at first," the man stated as he ran the gun up and down her, taking notes at the readings it gave out, "adolescent, soon coming into maturity. You haven't been using a whip to train her it seems, no external or external wounds," he stated before he pushed her head away to reveal her neck.

The fun pressing into to her neck, Ahsoka felt something small and nasty enter her skin, right where the usual claim mark would be. It burned with pain, making her whimper, voice box almost unable to work through the pain.

"She's been chipped, let me just do it to him and then I'll be done," the man said as he moved over to do the same to Rex. "Alright, let's go," the man said as he stood up and left the cell.

Ahsoka scrambled over to Rex, trying to shield him with her body as the guards all left the cell. She hissed at anyone that got near the cell door, flashing her fangs at them.

\-----

"What was that?" Anakin asked as he watched the silent recording.

"That was your friends this morning," the queen stated, "chipped like the slaves they are. You didn't answer."

"I did answer!" Anakin exclaimed.

"But not in time, the sun had already set when you answered," the queen tutted, "now you are _all_ bound to chains."

Anakin looked down; his fists clenched tight, he'd inadvertently sentenced his friends to slavery. And now he could do nothing about it, not unless he gets that signal working.

"Once the male wakes up, the two will be taken away, ready to be trained for work within the palace," the queen commented.

\-----

The 501st was a nervous wreck; the 212th was not much better, but they still had their Commander and Captain. It had been two weeks since they last made contact with any of the Generals, Commander or Captain.

They refused to move from the system until they knew for sure that they were dead, but before that, they were going to keep planning a rescue.

\-----

"Have the Jedi moved from the Educational facility here, I'm sure Skywalker wants to see what has happened to his friend," the queen ordered.

The zygerrian nodded before heading off to contact them, reporting that the slave would be there by nightfall.

"Do you hear that, Skywalker? With the two mated having started some of their duties to the palace," the queen asked, "you'll get to see all your friends again. Are you excited?"

"I can not wait," Anakin replied. _'I'll send the signal; they should be able to attack during the night.'_

"Now, do try to focus, we have work to do," the queen stated as she got up from her throne to start with her duties.

"Of course," Anakin nodded, hiding his smirk.

\-----

The two battalions were buzzing with life, the ships jumping into hyperspeed. General Skywalker had made contact and gave time and location for attack, but he specified medics needed with sedatives.

While they were worried, they were more excited about the prospect of getting them all back to their safety.

_\- They were working on the way to see whether they could get the Generals, Commander and Captain off significant duty for a while just so that they didn't have the risk of not seeing them in the morning. -_

  
By nightfall, both battalions were ready to attack.

\-----

"You seem on edge, Skywalker," the queen commented, continuing when Anakin stayed quiet, "is it that you'll see your friends again?"

"Yes," Anakin answered, "it's been a while since I've laid eyes on them further than a recording."

"Then you shan't wait any longer," the queen stated as she nodded to the guard.

Anakin's eyes widened as Obi-Wan was pushed forwards. He was covered in slashes and burns, arms shaking under his weight. Next was Ahsoka and Rex; the two were attached with a binder around both their stomachs with a short lead.

"Go on, Skywalker, approach your friends."

Anakin wasted no time in hurrying over to them. He got down to his knees where Obi-Wan kneeled, reaching out to touch him on the shoulder, " _Obi-Wan?_ " He whispered when he saw the man flinch back from his touch. He didn't push it again, instead choosing to stay away and in the man's eyesight.

"No, stay back," Obi-Wan stated, his voice hoarse and cracked. "The others need you, not me."

" _Ok, Obi-Wan, but I won't leave you completely,_ " Anakin whispered as he shuffled to face Rex and Ahsoka. He knew the need going through Obi-Wan too keep those away from him.

The two could not help but flinch back, the yellow and black uniform flashing danger in their minds. Rex held Ahsoka close as he turned his back and side towards the armour, sheltering her incase a hit came.

Anakin felt his heart drop at the subconscious actions of his friends. One almost panicked and asked for him to stay back, the others didn't recognise him and acted to try to separate themselves from him without moving from where they were instructed to be.

"Come now, Skywalker, you've had your time with your friends," the queen stated.

Anakin sighed as he got to his feet and moved just behind the queen to take up his role of servant and bodyguard.

"Take them away, get the two ready for another set of processing. I think they should start to learn their roles as breeders before she is ready to start," the queen ordered.

Some of the guards pulled out their whips and hit them on the floor in front of Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Rex before leading them away.

\-----

"Skywalker!" The queen shouted over the blaring alarms.

"Yes?" Anakin asked as he hurried into the room.

"I thought you knew you had to be by my side," the queen growled.

"I got caught in a group of guards and pushed to the wall," Anakin stated, his shoulder flaring in pain at the memory.

"How pathetic," the queen hissed, "a Jedi Knight like you pushed to the wall."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Anakin bowed.

\-----

The moment the alarm blared, Ahsoka and Rex pressed themselves into the corner, the cell door slamming shut and locking them in. The two were shaking as they gripped onto each other, Ahsoka's back tight to the wall, Rex's out in the open, blocking anything that might come there way.

"Come on; the message said they'd be down here!"

"The breeding hall?!"

There was a loud crash, causing Rex and Ahsoka to try and push themselves further away from the noise. Rhythmic beatings of boots came closer—had the guards come to get them?

"Pure and mix testers," they heard muttered.

There, that sounded like their door opening. Rex prized his eyes open to see why the door had opened. Three armoured men were entering the cell. They didn't seem to be carrying any whips, but instead, blasters.

" _It's ok, sirs,_ " one of the men whispered.

Rex growled as they tried to reach towards him, his eyes were locked on the weapon. He wanted to make sure it could get nowhere near Ahsoka.

The clone realised what Rex was looking at and slowly slid his weapon away, " _it's ok, sirs, I got you._ " He had to pull his hand back quickly as Rex slashed out.

"It's no use, Fives," another one said, "they'll have to be sedated."

"I wish we got to them before they got to this state, Echo," Fives sighed.

A third one walked forwards, holding two needles in his hands, "do you think you can hold the Captain and Commander down?" He asked.

Echo and Fives shared a look before they quickly jumped at Rex and Ahsoka, thankful for their plastoid armour as they continued to attack and attempt to wriggle from their grip.

"We got them, Kix," Fives stated, "they're weak, fragile."

Kix nodded as he quickly administered the sedative, watching as the two fell into the deep sleep. "I dread to think what state General Kenobi will be in," he sighed.

\-----

Cody was leading a small group of Ghost company down to the dungeons, opening the cell doors as they went until they reached one that looked stronger than the others. Prying the door open, Cody could not help but let his jaw drop as he saw the state his General was in as he pressed against the corner walls.

Obi-Wan heard the door open, he flinched, but could not bring himself to look. He didn't want to know what could cause this alarm.

" _Sir?_ " Cody whispered as he crouched in front of Obi-Wan, " _are you there? We're here to get you out._ "

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open as he turned to look directly at Cody, "Co-Cody?" He stuttered, his voice breaking from lack of use.

" _I'm here, sir,_ " Cody whispered.

"No, you n-need to go," Obi-Wan stuttered, "the-they-they'll get you as well."

"No, sir," Cody stated, reaching out, touching the flinching and shaking shoulder, "we're getting you out."

Obi-Wan's body sagged the moment Cody touched him. "O-Ok," he nodded, slowly getting to his feet.

Cody rapidly threw Obi-Wan's arm over his shoulder when he saw Obi-Wan's legs go beneath him. "I got you, sir," Cody stated before slowly walking him out.

\-----

"You don't want to do this, Skywalker," the queen warned.

"You don't own any of us," Anakin hissed, the room humming with the sound of his blade.

"That's where you're wrong, or do you forget," the queen stated, watching as clones spilt into the room behind Anakin, "you agreed to be the servant and bodyguard so your friends would not have to be, I can not control the fact that you answered too late and put your friends into slavery besides you."

All the clones stilled, Anakin knew they did because he also stilled. He had agreed to be 'owned' by her. But that was only until the signal had done.

"You are surrounded!" The clones shouted, all their blasters aimed at the queen.

"I suggest you back down now, Your Majesty," Anakin stated, his sabre held flat before him.

"But your friends, they're chipped," the queen pointed out, "they won't be able to go anywhere without people knowing they were slaves. That with a push of this button, they will be punished."

The comms exploded into actions as she pressed the button. Shouts of they _'don't know what is going on, that they're fitting'_.

"Stop, stop!" Anakin shouted, his blade lowering.

"I think I just heard the servent order the master," the queen tutted, "I thought with your past, no processing would need to be done. Maybe I was incorrect on that assumption?"

Swallowing his pride, Anakin deactivated his blade before lowering his head, "sorry, master."

The queen smiled, removing her hand from the button, "maybe I was correct that a slave never forgets their training."

The clones were frozen in shock, no one knew about the General's past, except the queen seemed to. And she was suggesting that he was a slave.

\-----

He brought the parallax into focus, the crosshair on the back of the target's head—breath in, breath out. No wind change at the destination. Breath in, breath out. Gently pull the trigger to its pressure point.

Breath in, breath out.   
Pressed.   
Blast fired.

" _One shot, one kill._ "

He watches through the scope as the blast breaks through the glass, landing in the queen's head, bringing her down to her knees.

She's gone, his brothers are safe. His sister is free. The General's are unrestricted.

He needs to go before anyone see's him, that made more commotion than he would have liked. It's swift, automatic to take apart the sniper-blaster; it's his job, he's a sharpshot.

He needs no medal, no recognition. Seeing his family, his leaders, his friends free is enough.


	7. Chapter 7

The clones were buzzing.

"A sharpshooter."

"A sharpshot."

"Sniper."

"Didn't think we had one with us."

"Neither did we."

"Who's battalion?"

"Who are they?"

That was the question Anakin wanted to know the answer to, 'who are they?' They'd just freed them, made a shot for so far he could not see the origin. And snipers usually work with two shots, one kill. See where it lands, and often break the glass (if a teammate doesn't blast it) then go for the kill.

"I want to meet them."

"They saved them."

_"We need to get out of here; all three are at risk."_

That came over the comms this time, "on it Kix," Anakin spoke into his comms before charging up to the throne and permanently disabling the controls for the chips, ignoring the dead queen at his feet. "We're going now!" Anakin ordered the buzzing clones before charging out of the room.

\-----

"Kix, we need you over here!"

"I'm busy preparing for two to be set into bacta!" Kix shouted before turning around, "what could be more..?"

"Hello, there," Obi-Wan stated with a shaky wave before going limp.

"Bac, Wrap! Get these two into the bacta tanks in room seven!" Kix ordered before hurrying over to Cody and Obi-Wan. "Lay him down gently."

Cody watched as Kix hurried over the limp Obi-Wan, removing the clothing on his upper body to see the fun extent of the wounds. Cody felt sick at the burns and slashes decorating the General's back.

"At least he's not as bad," Kix sighed.

"That's not bad?" Cody asked, green at the gills.

"With Rex, there almost isn't visible skin, if there is, then it's burnt," Kix stated, "your General should make it through this with minimal scars."

Cody didn't know whether he should be throwing up, fainting, falling over or just all of the above.

Kix saw the shake in the Commander's legs as he pushed him into a chair, handing over a sugar ration, "here, eat this while you watch over the General." Kix offered, knowing he had no chance of splitting the stubborn clone from the Jedi - and that the clone would be one of the only ways to keep said Jedi in the infirmary.

"Kix!" Wrap shouted, "both are fitting again!"

Kix hurried over to see both shaking and pulling against their restraints, tears streaming down their faces. Both kept mumbling something, but he wasn't close enough to make it out. "Don't sedate them; I think they're trying to tell us something," Kix realised.

The medics watched as Kix slowly undid one of Rex's and Ahsoka's bindings. Watched as their hands came up to claw at an almost identical spot on their necks.

"Get it out," Rex cried out, the fangs still attached to his teeth, tearing his lips and gums apart as he shouted out. His hand was almost drawing blood with how harsh he scrubbed at his skin before Kix restrained it again.

"Remove it!" Ahsoka whimpered, "it burns!" She did manage to draw blood before Kix restrained her again.

"General, what are they talking about when they say remove it and scratch at their necks?" Kix asked into his comms.

 _"While we were there, the two were chipped as slaves and breeders,"_ Anakin's voice came over the comm, shocking everyone around them, _"they will want it out, especially the Commander as it was added where her species normally has a claiming mark."_

" _Kriff_ ," Kix muttered as he quickly worked to sedate the pair to get them into surgery to remove the chips, "one of you work on getting those false teeth and markings off the Captain as I work on getting the chips out!"

\-----

The guards could not stop her as Padme charged into the medical room, "Kix, where is General Kenobi, General Skywalker, Commander Tano and Captain Rex?"

"General Kenobi is located in room one, monitored every hour; General Skywalker is in recovery room six; Commander Tano is in bacta intensive care room one along with Captain Rex," Kix answered, knowing that there was more between them all then what was strictly allowed. He also discreetly blocked the camera and mic in Anakin's room.

"Thank you, Kix," Padme said, bowing her head slightly before hurrying off to where Anakin was.

"Hey, Padme," Anakin said as she hurried into his room.

" _What have you got all of you into?_ " Padme whispered, sitting down next to her husband.

"Slavery," he hissed out, "Zygerrian empire slaves."

The words left a bitter feeling in the room.

" _Oh, Ani,_ " Padme whispered, running her hand softly through his hair to help calm him.

" _I was the one that helped sentence them to be slaves,_ " Anakin whispered, tears falling down his cheeks, " _if I had answered quicker, they would not have been subjected to that torture for so long._ "

"There was a reason why, though, remember," Padme stated.

"But it took longer than I thought it would, two moon cycles had passed by the time the signal was complete," Anakin whimpered. "They were slaves for so long, any longer; Rex and Ahsoka would be processed to be breeders, and I would have to wait further until we were all together again."

"But they are here now, Ani," Padme reassured.

"But I know what condition they are in, physically and mentally," Anakin whimpered, his eyes filled with tears, "Ahsoka and Rex were chipped and processed to be slaves and breeders, Obi-Wan was a mine slave."

Padme gasped, her hand coming to cover her mouth, "they were chipped? Doesn't that mean?"

"They will most likely get a permanent scar even with the most skilled surgeon," Anakin nodded, "people can take one look and tell that they were slaves."

" _This mission has not been kind on any of you,_ " Padme whispered, tears falling down her face.

\-----

Anakin walked into the 501st barrack, spotting that they were all present thankfully, "I want everyone to pay attention, this is serious."

The packed barrack was silent; all the clones huddled together as they looked on at the General.

"As you know, your Commander and Captain came back in bad shape from the mission," Anakin said, "they are both in intensive care bacta tanks, with 24/7 monitoring. Each has been rushed into surgery multiple times."

Gasps ran around the room.

"They will probably be heavily scared; your Captain being the worst," Anakin started before pausing, wondering whether he should tell them the next part, "the two had been taken to be slaves, and after a few wonders of the queen, breeders. They were chipped to be so, and will have an identical scar on their necks."

"Where will this scar be?" Fives asked.

"Where your Commander's species would have claim marks," Anakin sighed, "they seemed to have done it on purpose, knowing the mindset and distress that can cause."

Mutters of monster and other such words echoed through the room as Anakin turned to check in on the duo.

\-----

The two were in linked bacta tanks, scars dancing over them, the most prominent on Ahsoka being a significant 'ᓭ' over her neck an 's' for 'slave'. When Kix had removed the chip, it had torn at the skin more than he thought as to when they closed it up, the wound opened from the inside out.

Rex was worse; he had that scar, but his back still looked like it had been put through a mince-meat shredder. It was going to scar, but it seemed to be closing over.

As Anakin watched, he saw Rex's muscles start to clenched as his whole body suddenly started to jerk, soon Ahsoka's seemed to follow. Loud alarms blared around him as the medics rushed in and began working around the tanks. "I thought you could not fit in a bacta tank?!" Anakin yelled as a medic pushed him out.

"Well, they are, sir!" The medic snapped as he hurried back into the room.

Anakin could only pace as he waited for information on the duo, he went to question about them when the door opened, but his words vanished as he saw both Rex and Ahsoka come flying out the door as they were rushed off again by the medics.

"We need to stabilise them!"

"We could try blood sharing the two?"

"It might just work."

"Wrap, prepare for a blood share!"

"Already set up, Kix!"

"Prepare bacta IV!"

Anakin could not help it when he quickly opened a comm to Fives. "Fives, what do the medics mean when they say blood share?"

 _"It is a medical procedure done when two clones are fatally injured,"_ Fives explained, _"the two clones are linked together, almost sharing their bodies - but mainly their blood, hence the name - it's only done on clones. Why do you ask this?"_

"They're going to do it between Rex and Ahsoka," Anakin said before rushing out, "both started to fit in the bacta tanks."

_"I thought you couldn't have a fit in a bacta tank?"_

"That's what we all thought," Anakin worried, "I would never believe anyone if they told me, but I was there."

 _"Just keep calm, sir, the commanding officers haven't backed down before and I doubt they'll start now,"_ Fives soothed.

"Thank you, Fives," Anakin sighed, ending the comm before Fives could say anything else before returning to his pacing.

\-----

Obi-Wan groaned slightly as he woke, the brightness blinding him briefly.

"Sir?"

Obi-Wan's eyes flicked over to the voice that spoke and landed on the pale, worried face of Cody.

"Are you ok?"

"Force I've felt better," Obi-Wan smiled before a copious cough racked through his body, "never wanted to sound like Grievous," he coughed out jokingly.

"You already have the title of General," Cody said, trying to join in on the joke to calm - but he wasn't sure for who.

"Guess there is that," Obi-Wan breathed when he stopped coughing. "Now I see what they mean about miners cough even just slightly."

"I'm going to get Kix, sir," Cody said as he stood and walked out the room, soon walking back in, followed by Kix.

Kix quickly checked over Obi-Wan, noting down that the back seemed to have been staring to heal towards leaving minimal scars.

"How's Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Already out of the recovery room," Kix stated.

"Ahsoka, Rex?"

Kix looked nervously at the two before sighing and giving a basic rundown, "the two kept fitting even in bacta tanks, but they are stable now after we tried a blood share."

"Isn't blood share only done for clones in the worst chance?" Obi-Wan asked, trying to push himself into a sitting position.

"Yes, but we were getting kind of desperate," Kix sighed, "we realised that the 'mating' might allow them to stabilise if they are kept together as best as possible."

"And no better way than to 'share' their bodies," Cody realised with a mutter.

"That's precisely what we thought," Kix nodded, "you'll have to stay overnight, but after that, you can be moved to the recovery room."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan nodded as the medic left the room to attend to other duties.

\-----

Fives and Echo could not help it as they snuck by the guards and medics towards where the Commander and Captain where being treated. It was just like how they could not help the gasp that left their mouth at the sight of the commanding officers almost drowned in wires.

They could see the scar covering the duo's necks, how it had healed over as a permanent reminder of what had happened. Scars danced up and down their arms, drawing attention to where their wrists and (on further inspection) their ankles were restrained to the cots.

The room was filled with short raspy breaths, buzzing of machines, beeps of monitors. Occasionally one of them would make a choked of noise as the other fought against the restraints, the blood share spilling every feeling between them.

It was heart-shattering for the clones to watch two of the strongest people they knew fighting for life, to open their eyes again. In the end, after a meagre ten clicks of the large hand, they could not bear to stand there any longer and fled back to the barracks, helmets firmly in place.

\-----

"The two have stabilised," Bac noted, "maybe we need to try bacta tank again for the Captain; otherwise he'll sustain more permanent damage."

"If you think that is what is needed," Wrap nodded, "I'll inform Kix."

\-----

"Yes, I agree," Kix nodded, "the tank is already prepared."

"And the Commander?"

"Put her where General Kenobi was," Kix nodded, "she needs to work on waking now that the healing is done."

\-----

Ahsoka's eyes felt that they were stuck together with glue; her limbs felt as heavy as a starship.

"Snips?"

The voice was foggy, almost inaudible over the ringing in her hears. But she could recognise to emotion, the Force, the presence behind the word.

Fighting, she slowly opened her eyes, hissing at the bright light of the infirmary.

"That's it, Snips," Anakin smiled, "you had us all worried."

"What?" Ahsoka gasped before looking around the room thoroughly, "where is Rex?"

"In a bacta tank," Anakin stated.

"Is he okay?" Ahsoka asked, trying to push herself off the floor.

"He's stable," Anakin soothed as he pushed her back to the bed.

\-----

"I don't like it, Obi-Wan," Anakin stated as he paced, "the medics are threatening that much longer, and they will have to stop the support of one of them - that they don't have the resources to keep them both supported."

"I know, Anakin, Rex has been placed in bacta again; not fitted, and Ahsoka is conscious in a medical room for one-hour surveillance," Obi-Wan pointed out, "so there is hope."

"But what if this hope isn't enough?" Anakin asked, "we can't run the Republic of hope."

"That is where you are wrong, my old Padawan," Obi-Wan soothed, resting his hands on Anakin's shoulders to stop the man from pacing any more, "we are already run from hope, hope that peace will come. That is why we are stronger than the Separatists."

"Yet we are making no headway with the war," Anakin hissed, only just stopping himself from pulling at his hair.

 _"Sirs?"_ Cody's voice buzzed over the comms.

Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin before answering, "yes, Cody?"

 _"They have had the order to turn of Rex's life support system,"_ Cody's voice came, _"you need to get down here as quick as you can."_

"On it!" Obi-Wan shouted, already running out his door with Anakin hot on his tail.

\-----

"Do not touch that!" Cody ordered as the medic went to touch the life support plug.

"Sir, we have been ordered to turn it off," the medic replied, reaching again. His whole body went flying backwards as Anakin charged into the room.

"He said, 'do not touch that!'" Anakin growled as the medic got to his feet again. He could feel the force swelling around them, squeezing at everyone in the room.

They all heard the dispute, clones shouting like they were trying to get someone away from each other. It was evident when the door opened, and Ahsoka tumbled through.

The clones grumbled before giving up on getting her away. The Jedi would allow her to stay and fight for her to stay; they couldn't do much more at this point.

"Master!" Ahsoka exclaimed, "I-I heard that they are turning off the support!"

"Sorry, Snips," Anakin managed to mutter, feeling Ahsoka's rising panic flood through their bond.

"No, no, no," Ahsoka stated, shaking her head as quick as she could. Her chest was tight, lungs burning with the need for oxygen, "they can't!"

"Sorry, sir, it's been ordered," the clone stated, before starting to press the switch before anyone could react.

As the support shut down, screeches echoing through the room, Ahsoka went to throw herself at the clone when an awful sense of fear, panic and pain flooded through her. Instead, she changed direction and started hammering against the glass as Rex's body shuddered within the tank.


	8. Chapter 8

Each time someone went to reach for her, they felt their body freeze up, an invisible hand grasped around them. They could only watch on as the Commander tried time and time again to wake the Captain, to damage the tank.

Just as the final set of monitors beeped out, a wave of pure force crashed into them, flinging them to the walls, half suspended in the air before they tumbled to the floor. They were soaked, covered in bacta and glass.

When the gaseous glass powder cleared from the air, they saw Ahsoka curled around Rex, holding him tightly to her, much like he'd done for her in the palace.

"Ahsoka?" Anakin called out, clutching his thumping head.

"He's still alive! You tried to kill him!" Ahsoka hissed, "you know it's true!"

Anakin swallowed back the lump in his throat. They were no doubt that Rex was alive when the support systems were helping him. But, that wasn't his body keeping him alive, but a machine keeping him alive. Could you honestly say that is living?

"Prepare a clean up in room ten," the clone spoke into his comms, "the jetii blew up another one."

Ahsoka growled the moment her ears heard the voice of the clone, sneering the moment her eyes locked onto him. "You tried to kill him! He's alive!" Ahsoka wailed out through her growls.

"Snips..." Anakin started, trying to calm the angry and panicking Padawan.

"Don't you dare," Ahsoka hissed, "can't you feel it, he's alive!"

Now that Anakin thought about it, the number of force signatures in the room had not diminished. His eyes snapped wide as it finally clocked, Ahsoka was right, Rex was alive, he was living off his own body, not that of a machine.

" _Young one, you know we meant neither of you any harm,_ " Obi-Wan whispered, "but _the Captain needs to be checked out and monitored if he is to make it still._ "

Ahsoka growled as slowly the clones came and placed Rex on a stretched to take him away.

"Place him in the same room as Ahsoka; both should be more stable together," Anakin stated, watching as the clones nodded and hurried off with a twitchy growling Padawan followed behind.

\-----

After the tenth time of the medic having to fight Ahsoka away from the unconscious Rex; they decided that they would just move her bed next to his so that when she was almost curled around him, she was still on her bed. It was the best win-win situation they could come to without restraints and sedatives.

Another positive of this situation was that the Captain was coming on leaps and bounds when Ahsoka was almost attached to him. All the clones that managed to sneak through found many laughs at the situation - until the Commander had started to throw things at them—including sharp utensils that medics had now taken to leaving outside the room - along with shields for the visitors.

Ahsoka knew what she was doing was technically breaking all the rules the medics had in place, but those rules could find somewhere else to curl up. She knew why she hadn't stopped, all that time as a slave she'd almost survived of her instincts, but now she was finding it hard to take them away from the centre of her control.

But going off the instincts, staying as close as she could to Rex meant that she could almost feel her body singing at her. She found herself continually chasing the scars littering his arms, the ones around his neck and legs. One injury she dared not touch was the chip scar; even just a glancing look would bring up a phantom pain on her neck.

She had initially tried to force-heal the scar away, but instead, the two were left screaming as both their wounds cried out. It was easier to ignore, to cover it up, to try and numb that memory, block herself from it.

She'd just finished attacking Fives with half a bowl of rations when a groan came from Rex; she didn't have to move much from her curled and cuddling position to stare him straight in the eye as he slowly woke.

The first time Rex opened his eyes, he was blinded by how bright everything was. The second time Rex opened his eyes, he was greeted by an up-close view of Ahsoka's face.

Ahsoka didn't blink as Rex yelled out in shock, but instead looked him over, making sure that he was ok. His eyes seemed to show more confusion and shock than pain, so that was good.

"I, uh," Rex stuttered, his throat aching and dying out along with his thinking capability.

"Water?" Ahsoka asked as she scrambled away only to appear with a glass of water, watching as Rex drank the cold drink like he'd been left in a desert for the past two weeks.

"Thanks," Rex muttered. "How long was I out?"

"Long enough they shut off life support," Ahsoka growled.

"But?" Rex questioned, pointing to the fact that he was alive.

"They hadn't been able to pick up that you were able to support yourself," Ahsoka stated, "and it nearly killed you when they did it."

Rex slowly lifted a hand to rub Ahsoka's arms to help her calm, "I'm still alive."

"Only just," Ahsoka stated.

"But I am still here, am I not?"

Ahsoka sighed, curling into his so she could feel his steady heartbeat, "yes, you are."

The silence the room had fallen into was disturbed as Anakin walked into the room, looking down at his hands as not to spill the food he carried. "Hey, Snips, how is he?"

"Morning, General."

_Crash._

There went that food.

"Rex!" Anakin exclaimed springing over the pile of food, "you're awake!"

And, Force be had it, that brought the attention of everyone in the area. Soon the room was almost swarming with various clones. And more was on their way if the various thumping of boots down corridors was the sound that they heard.

By the time Kix had broken through the wall of bodies, Rex's head was already swimming.

\-----

There was another round of celebration when Rex and Ahsoka were released from the medical suite. '79's was just too small to hold a party for what ended up being two battalions worth of clones, so they used the hanger. It wasn't perfect, but through the music, alcohol and food, it didn't need to be.

After being pulled between so many brothers, Rex would have been happy for the chance to escape if it didn't come in the form of a giggling Ahsoka that screamed mischief and trouble.

\-----

Mischief and trouble did not correspond with the whole of their quarters being covered in various bedsheets and pillows. No floor or wall was in sight, and the ceiling would have got the same treatment if she could have reached.

He guessed he could deal with it the next day as Ahsoka curled around him as he lay in the bed, the purrs she released echoing through him.


	9. Chapter 9

"What bets do we have?" Anakin asked.

"They are playing."

"They are arguing."

"Again."

"They are training."

"They are showing off."

"This is just their fighting."

"Kix will sedate them."

"Kix will shout then sedate them."

"Both will collapse of exhaustion."

"One will collapse of exhaustion."

"Neither will collapse of exhaustion."

"They'll kiss."

"They will not kiss."

"Didn't need to know that one," Anakin butted in.

"Sorry, General."

"Rex will tell us off for the bets."

"Commander Tano will tell us off for the bets."

"Both will tell us off."

"Neither will tell us off."

"Any more?" Anakin asked.

Fives grinned, "that is just the first page."

"I don't think I want to know what other bets there are," Anakin stated, running his hand down his face.

Flicking through the book, Fives grimaced, "best not, sir."

Anakin sighed, looking over at where Ahsoka and Rex were sparing. Sparing was an over sumptuous term; they were mostly throwing and catching punches.

\-----

Well, if you went through the bets, then;  
One was partly right.  
Two was not right.  
Three was also partly right.  
Four was not right.  
Five was right.  
Six was not right.  
Seven was - big time.  
Eight was right.  
Nine was not right.  
Ten was not right.  
Eleven was not right.  
Twelve was right.   
Thirteen was not right.   
Fourteen was not right.   
Nineteen was not right.   
Twenty was right.   
And as Fives stated, that was just the first page.

\-----

"I get it, Kix," Ahsoka grinned.

"That sparring match said otherwise," Kix stated.

"It was barely a sparring match," Rex said.

"The betting book said otherwise," Kix crossed his arms.

"We were just testing where our muscles currently are," Ahsoka stated.

"We have been bed-bound for an extended period," Rex explained.

"And rightfully so!" Kix exclaimed, "you should be scarcely doing walking, let alone testing your muscles!"

"We feel fine, Kix," Ahsoka soothed.

"And that is the problem!"

"Why?"

"You have no care for your health!" Kix final snapped, paling once he realised what he said. "I-I didn't mean it-."

"Of course," Ahsoka answered stiffly.

"I didn't," Kix started before sighing, his body sagging, "you can go around, just don't try and overexert your muscles, your body has not recovered."

"Alright, Kix," Rex nodded as both Ahsoka and himself turned and left the medic to his thoughts.

\-----

Rex was enjoying the playfulness of the boys around him. Surrounding Rex, the 501st were enjoying their free time. There was sabacc going on in the corner - by the sudden lack of clothing Echo's alcohol might be involved, but Rex wasn't going to check - along with a game of battle, battle, war.

Rex knew he should be trying to get them under control soon, they were meant to be meeting up with the 212th in an hour, but then he'd see a pile of giggling clones and think 'just five minutes more'. It was a vicious yet pleasant cycle.

\-----

Rex was jolted from his mandatory sleep when Ahsoka threw herself on him. His arms reached up and pulled her close, rubbing her arms as she cried. "What is it?"

"Master Kenobi," she hiccuped.

"Is something wrong with General Kenobi?"

"Sniper," Ahsoka hiccuped again before bursting into tears again, "shot off the roof, landed at my feet."

"Is he ok?"

Ahsoka seemed to go rock solid, a single whisper leaving her mouth, " _his funeral is tonight._ "

\-----

A single candle flickered, its flames strong and healthy. It was surrounded by clones of the same man, of the same origin. Clones split with life, together with death—Vode an—Brothers all.

"Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum," Cody stated.

"I am alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal," the clones around Cody in a sea of orange echoed.

"General Kenobi."

"General Kenobi."

"Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la," Rex stated.

"Not gone, merely marching away," the clones in blue echoed.

"A warrior."

"A leader."

"A General."

"A friend."

"A brother."

"There is no death; there is the Force," Cody finished.

Slowly the clones dissipated, leaving just Cody and the candle. Soon, only the candle was continuing to flicker in the dark of the room.

\-----

"Kriff," Rex swore as his body folded in on itself. His hands dropped to where the pain was as he tried to shield it from the continued assault.

Reaching one hand up, he caught one fist, the other hand grabbing the other. He tucked Ahsoka's hands to her side, her chest against his. Slowly wrapping his hands around her, it took Ahsoka seconds to break.

The room echoed not from the swears and grunts of a fight, but the sobs and shakes and someone having lost a parental figure.

\-----

"Rako Harden has escaped," Ahsoka growled as she stormed into the rec room, "alongside two other prisoners."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Skyguy wants to chase Hardeen down, but the council has forbidden it, saying they have it under control," Ahsoka stated.

"If the council has a plan, then it would be best to follow them," Rex stated.

"Yeah, they are the ones that have been chosen to be in control of these situations, sir," Fives stated, "if they have a plan, it would be wise to follow it."

"Didn't General Kenobi have a friend that is a shadow Jedi?" Rex asked.

Ahsoka's eyes lit up, "Yeah, he did! And who better to go after someone then a shadow Jedi?! Thanks!" Ahsoka quickly turned on her heels and ran out of the room.

\------

"Thanks, Rex!" Ahsoka chirped as she threw herself at Rex, flattening the man to his back.

Ignoring the laughs around the room, Rex asked, "what for?"

"Rako Hardeen wasn't Rako Hardeen!"

"What?"

"If we went with Skyguy's plan, then we would have attacked Obi-Wan!" Ahsoka said, pulling Rex to his feet as she stood.

"Wasn't General Kenobi declared dead a week ago?" A few of the clones muttered to each other.

"The council faked his death to send him undercover to stop the assassination attempt on the Chancellor!" Ahsoka chirped, grabbing Rex again.

"Have you been able to talk to General Kenobi yet?" Rex asked, noting how hyperactive Ahsoka was.

"No," Ahsoka muttered before tearing herself off Rex and charging out the room.

Raising his arm, Rex commed Cody, "tell General Kenobi to be prepared, Commander Tano is on her way."

"What do you mean?"

"She's hyperactive," Rex answered before ending the comm.

\-----

"You alright, Cody?" Rex asked as he watched the man stormed into the rec room, holding himself as if injured.

"Two Jetii decided I was a crash mat and bruised my whole back," Cody growled.

The room burst into laughter as Rex bit his lip to prevent his laughter. The attempt was fraught as he soon joined his brothers with his laughter.

"It's not funny when you get trapped while they talk," Cody growled.

"It is pretty amusing, you've got to emit it," Rex defended.

Cody sighed, "painful was more the word I was looking for."

"We could always ask Kix and Wrap to take a look at it?" Echo offered.

Cody's face paled dramatically; he quickly shook his head, "you know, it was funny, not painful."

"Thought you'd come around," Rex grinned.

"Tion'ad hukaat'kama?"

"Ni hukaatii'ni shebs ti kama!" Rex grinned.

Cody only growled.

\-----

Rex paused mid swallow as he watched who just entered the room. Everyone that noticed the pause looked towards the door before bursting into sniggers. Rex promptly swallowed and started growling at the boys around him.

Ahsoka was wearing a dark blue bodysuit. A belt wrapped around her was of similar colour but had ice blue threads dancing around it with a white double circle buckle. The buckle had small orange gems embedded into it as well. Dark blue boots covered her feet, bending nicely at the top while working towards a darker colour at the bottom—there were clasps made of orange gems that looked to have been marbled with white and blue diamond. The robe finished off the look by giving an almost light frost around her.

"You alright, Rex?" Ahsoka asked as she moved to sit in front of Rex as Hardcase and Fives slide over on the bench to make room.

Echo laughed, clapping Rex on the back before the man could reply. His actions were met with loud laughter and a deathly glare.

"Just fine, Commander," Rex answered before going back to glaring at the boys around him, "some of the boys have decided to volunteer for sanitary."

"Yes, sir," the boys around Rex muttered, grins still cracked over their faces.

"For two rotations," Rex growled on the end.

"Sir, yes, sir!" They chirped as they got up to put away their plates and disappear before Rex decides assault was allowed.

"Is something up with them?" Ahsoka asked as she sat on the opposite side of Rex, facing him directly.

"The boys are being their normal annoying selves, Commander," Rex stated, trying to kick his brain back into functioning. The kick came from elsewhere as both Ahsoka and his' comms beeped into life.

_"Ahsoka, Rex, briefing room, now!"_

\-----

"I suggest blockage position forty-six," Rex stated, highlighting the positions of the different Republic fighters on the holomap.

Ahsoka brushed that plan away before pulling out a different one, "plan seventy-two would play better and is less predictable as it is rarely used."

Soon the plans were changing almost too quick for Anakin to keep up, one moment it was fifty, next it was one-o-five. They kept flickering more and more, the clones in the background stopping their actions as they tried to keep up with the decisions. Soon it seemed they were making their own plan; pull this fleet here, flagship positioned her, come in for this attack, defend with these ships.

Anakin blinked blindly as Rex and Ahsoka both turned to look at him, asking simultaneously whether he agreed with the plan or not. With only the raspy sound that left Anakin's throat, they dove into the planning again, leaving everyone to try and catch up with what was happening.

The next time they asked about the plan, Anakin nodded.

\-----

"How's it looking down there?" Anakin's voice came through the comms.

"Only a few scouting units, making quick progress, sir," Rex answered.

"Seems like they might be about to form a skyward attack, Skyguy," Ahsoka stated.

"I'll keep an eye on it, Snips," Anakin reassured.

\-----

"That plan was well thought out," Anakin commented.

"I should hope so; I nearly went crazy as the two planned it," Fives muttered in the background, moving out of the way of the metal kicked in his direction.

"Regardless, you'll need to write it down and name it, I believe it could come in plenty useful at later situations," Anakin stated.

"Already done, sir," Rex said, "drew it up as we were making it."

"Does that mean?"

"The other plan is also written out as well," Rex nodded.

"You don't do things by halves, do you?"

"Go big, or go home."


End file.
